Possibilities to Realities

By Stephen T. Kee, MD, MMM, FSIR

Chair, SIR Foundation

As you’ve read over the past several months in member communications, the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) will be introducing a new and enhanced brand identity in 2015—so that both the society and SIR Foundation may better communicate the value and limitless potential of image-guided therapy. You can read more about this exciting initiative in the below posts from SIR President James B. Spies, MD, MPH, FSIR, and SIR Executive Director Susan E. Sedory Holzer, MA, CAE. 

Our research has shown that that SIR and SIR Foundation must be seen more distinctly as essential, expert resources for IR—not only with our members but with health care decision-makers, influencers and consumers, who are shaping the new health care landscape in which we work and live.

SIR Foundation will continue to advance the clinical needs of IR by specializing in developing investigators trained in conducting basic and clinical trials research and supporting innovative treatments delivered through image-guided techniques. We have initiated a new program structure that proactively fosters research priorities in the areas of clinical research, research policy and research education. These priority areas drive our program, grant-making and fundraising decisions.

As 2014 comes to a close, I wanted to share some specific successes. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) has been executed between SIR and the American College of Radiology (ACR) to begin building an IR registry database under the National Radiology Data Registry (NR DR). ACR has begun building the IR registry database, and you’ll be hearing more about this exciting development throughout next year. The foundation hosted a research consensus panel that proposed 13 new Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) measures—6 of which are now on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Measures Under Consideration (MUC) list—a vital step toward systematic data collection. Medical students around the nation are being introduced to IR through our research internships and awards. Our premier grants program continues to grow in prominence, adding several new awards this year. In 2015 and beyond, we will continue to articulate how the foundation is the premier scientific organization dedicated to advancing IR through research.

As always, these achievements are only possible with your support. You enable SIR Foundation’s work of developing, testing and implementing breakthrough medical treatments. You continue to turn possibilities into realities.

This is a very exciting time as SIR and SIR Foundation prepare to better communicate the unique strengths and limitless potential of IR. You will soon hear more about our branding assessment and its impact on the external voice and face of the SIR and SIR Foundation. I look forward to hearing what you think about our branding and SIR Foundation initiatives.