Top radiology advocates recently formed a coalition dedicated to health equity issues and are now calling on others to join in the effort.
The American College of Radiology first announced the Radiology Health Equity Coalition in May. It brings together RSNA, the American Board of Radiology, Society of Interventional Radiology and many others to address “jarring” imaging disparities alongside state radiology groups already working on these problems.
“The members of the Radiology Health Equity Coalition are committed to addressing health disparities and improving health outcomes for the underserved,” Jacqueline A. Bello, MD, chair of the coalition and vice chair of the ACR Board of Chancellors, said Monday.
Most patients undergo imaging exams at some point in their lifetime, making radiologists well-positioned to close gaps in care. Many of those opportunities exist in screening exams, ACR pointed out.
For example, Black women are 42% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women, making early detection key for this population. Similarly, Black men undergo fewer screening exams for colorectal cancer and are 52% more likely to die from the disease than their white peers.
The ACR-driven coalition is taking real-world steps in this regard, collecting, analyzing and pushing out resources and best practices to enhance preventative diagnostic imaging access and utilization.
“Our collaborative framework empowers radiologists to work across healthcare to serve patients,” Bello added. “I strongly urge other medical societies to join this effort.”
Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.