A Message from the President of the CAR

Reflecting on our Value Proposition

As we near the end of 2013, like so many others do at this time of the year, I have taken a few moments to reflect on the year past.

When I became your President in April, I was prepared for a busy year but what has impressed me most is how vast and varied the initiatives of the CAR are, many for which I have had the opportunity to represent you.

Whether it has been speaking at an international radiology conference, participating in a retreat with our provincial radiology association colleagues, or speaking to the media about what radiologists do to ensure high quality care, to me what we need is clear. We need the whole radiology community to work together to address the challenges within our profession, within our home provinces and nationally.

That means that each of us, of you, is important! Thank you to all the volunteers that have participated in the CAR in so many ways. In 2013, 43 working groups comprising about 350 individuals were active in the CAR. I might be your representative in many public fora but without these dedicated volunteers, many of them behind the scenes, there is no CAR.

And we need more of you if we want the CAR to continue and to grow – please consider becoming active in the CAR. From the Board, to our CARJ, to our annual meeting, to our accreditation programs, to creating guidelines and guidance reports, there is likely an opportunity that will give you the personal satisfaction of using your skills and passion to help protect and build our amazing specialty.

We have also started our outreach to ask you to join as a CAR member for 2014. Please respond with a strong "yes!"

As we look forward to 2014, we have much to do. We are particularly excited to be partnering with the provincial radiology associations on a public awareness campaign that will highlight the value of radiology. Radiology is an integral part of the diagnosis and care of practically all conditions, and we need to change the conversation from the cost to the value of that contribution. You are an important driver in that conversation and within the CAR.

I wish you all a wonderful holiday season and look forward to continuing to work with and for you in 2014.

 

 

 

 

 

Jacques Lévesque, MD
President, Canadian Association of Radiologists

New Breast Imaging Guidelines

The CAR has released new guidelines: the CAR Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards for Breast Imaging and Intervention. Within a day of announcing this publication, there was widespread mention of the CAR in the media, both in Canada and abroad. This prevalence in the media indicates the keen interest and concern surrounding breast health among medical professionals and the public.

These updated guidelines and technical standards cover the main methods of breast imaging, namely mammography, ultrasound, MRI and others. They also address the various methods of intervention. To download this publication, click here.

New Lifecycle Guide for MI Equipment

The CAR has published a new guide, Lifecycle Guidance for Medical Imaging Equipment in Canada.

This comprehensive guide, an initiative lead by the CAR and to which the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (CAMRT) and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) collaborated, included input from many other key stakeholders. The publication provides guidance on the replacement, upgrading and introduction of new and emerging technologies in medical imaging devices. These devices include digital radiography, ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance, etc. The recommendations are easily applied yet robust, and meant to be used in a variety of settings.

Ensuring the optimal condition of the equipment generating the tests is crucial to patient safety and to the quality of our healthcare system. Healthcare facilities and medical imaging professionals are advised to consult this guide when making decisions regarding the timing and conditions under which medical imaging equipment should be purchased, replaced or upgraded. To download this guide, click here. For a summary version of this publication, click here.

Reduce Fractures!

Radiologists can help reduce the care gap

Radiologists can help reduce the care gap by including specific recommendations for further evaluation of osteoporosis.

The osteoporosis care gap refers to the disparity between the number of individuals who suffer a fragility fracture after the age of 50 and those who have evaluation and/or treatment to reduce their risk of future fracture. This care gap has been reported to be as high as 80% in a variety of studies, and while OC has published guidelines in 2010 for the management of osteoporosis, this gap does not appear to be shrinking. The CAR and OC have joined together to provide radiologists with wording to be used when reporting fractures of hip, proximal humerus, distal forearm and spine, directing the ordering physician to assess the patient's risk of future fracture.

When reporting fragility fractures in patients over the age of 50, the following wording is recommended by the CAR and OC:

Hip/vertebral/proximal humerus/forearm fractures in the absence of major trauma are associated with an increased future fracture risk due to underlying osteoporosis. Further evaluation and management is advised in accordance with the latest guidelines from Osteoporosis Canada. 

This simple initiative by radiologists can lead to an improvement in care and a reduction of the osteoporosis care gap.

The complete essay is published in the November 2013 issue of the CAR Journal (Vol. 64, No. 4).

Health Canada

Important Safety Information on GBCAs

On November 14th, Health Canada issued updated safety information on the use of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCA) for MRI investigations.

Although the extent of risk for Nephrogenic System Fibrosis (NSF) varies among the various GBCAs, these agents have been linked to this rare and potentially fatal disease in patients with kidney disease. The safety information offers Canadian prescribing information, including screening patients for renal function, and gives phone and online information for reporting suspected adverse reactions to the use of GBCAs. To read the full advisory, click here.

CAR 77th Annual Scientific Meeting

Register Now for the Early Bird Rate!

Registration is now open for the CAR 77th Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM). The 2014 theme, Doing the Right Think at the Right Time: Appropriate Imaging Utilization, promises to deliver relevant, up-to-date topics of great interest to radiologists. The ASM Working Group has put together an outstanding program, including an MSK Imaging Simulation Workshop with real models. Brand new tracks include a CMPA Mock Trial. Some highly popular tracks will also be back this year, including Back to Basics and Mistakes We All Make.

To register online, click here.

Maintenance of Certification

Peer Review: Opportunities for Credits

In response to queries received from radiologists participating in the Lower Mainland Integrated Medical Imaging (IMI) Interim Peer Review Program in British Columbia, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) has established criteria for claiming Maintenance of Certification (MOC) credits related to this peer review program (to find out if peer review programs in your area qualify for similar credits, please contact the RCPSC).

Peer review participants can earn credits for MOC Section 2 or MOC Section 3 learning activities. The main difference between Section 2 and Section 3 is that Section 2 covers “regular” peer review activity, whereas Section 3 entails that a radiologist’s performance has been reviewed by a peer and as a result, has made changes to his/her practice accordingly.

Section 2: Self-Learning

Each radiologist who participates in the Lower Mainland IMI Interim Peer Review Program (i.e., providing feedback to peers) can claim 15 credits per year under Section 2 (Systems learning activity category). Participating radiologists simply need to document the name of the peer review program and what was learned during participation that has contributed to their professional development.

Section 3: Assessment

The RCPSC’s Professional Development Committee has recently established criteria for Performance assessment activities (Section 3) related to a radiologist’s peer review exercise. These activities must:

It is important that radiologists report all performance assessment activities by using the documentation template provided under Section 3 in MAINPORT.

Advocacy

Choosing Wisely Canada

replace on car.caThe CAR is proud to be part of the first wave of 8 medical societies to be engaged in the very first campaign of Choosing Wisely Canada (CWC) being launched in the spring of 2014. Another 16 medical societies are at various stages of engagement with CWC.

There is a great deal of excitement about this campaign, and it has been endorsed by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the College of Family Physicians of Canada, and the Canadian Association of Professors of Medicine. Other provincial and territorial medical associations have also endorsed the campaign.

On November 12th, the CAR sent out a draft of the Diagnostic Imaging List that it proposes for inclusion in CWC, inviting members to provide their feedback on this list, which includes:

The CAR values the feedback receives from its members. Look for more updates on this initiative in 2014.  It is crucial that physicians and their patients keep engaging in conversations to improve the quality and safety of healthcare and the most effective use of healthcare resources.

Provincial Association Leaders’ Retreat

On September 21–22, leaders from provincial radiologist associations and CAR representatives attended a weekend retreat in Ottawa to discuss issues of common interest. Some of the priority topics for discussion at the retreat included appropriateness of medical imaging, medical imaging cost effectiveness, and documenting the value of medical imaging.

This was a very successful meeting. Working groups, comprised of provincial and international representatives, are taking leadership and collaborating to explore new projects that will benefit all Canadian radiologists.

Radiology News

CAR Canadian Reception at RSNA

The CAR Canadian Reception at the RSNA on December 1, 2013, was a great success again this year. It was a great opportunity for close to 400 attendees to meet, or get reacquainted with, other Canadian radiologists and stakeholders. Many of the participants shared with us that the room was charged with a positive energy and great momentum that will carry CAR into 2014. Thank you to all who were able to join us for an enjoyable and special evening. See you next year!


Andrea Nelson, CAR Director of Quality Assurance
Dr. Shiela Appavoo, Adele Fifield, CAR CEO, Natalia Vukolova and Dr. Dinesh Varma, CEO and President, respectively, of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR)

Mrs. Karen Tonseth with Drs. Willie Miller and Robert Sevick
CAR President, Dr. Jacques Lévesque (centre) with representatives from the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (CAMRT): Sue Crowley, Elaine Dever, Amanda Bolderston,
Leacy O’Callaghan-O’Brien

Residents' Corner

ASM Contests – Have you submitted your abstract yet?

Radiology residents and medical students — start the New Year on the right foot! The deadline of January 9, 2014 is looming. Submissions for participation in our highly-rated contests are coming in and we look forward to receiving yours.

If you are one of the lead authors of the top-scoring abstracts, you will be invited to present at the CAR Annual Scientific Meeting in Montreal from April 24 to 27, 2014. Of these presentations given during the ASM’s contests, the winning authors will be awarded a cash prize and 2 tickets to the CAR ASM Annual Dinner and Awards Gala held on April 26.

For more information on these contests and FAQs, click here.

Volunteering: Shaping the Future of Radiology

Bring your expertise to the table!

We encourage you to participate in our working groups. To learn more about these great volunteering opportunities, please contact us.

CAR Membership

2014 is just around the corner!

We trust that you have received our communication about the many advantages of being a member of the CAR. With all the benefits listed on the CAR website, a very attractive offer negotiated with an investment firm exclusively for our members (details in the October 2013 eNewsletter), and reduced registration fees for participation in CAR Continuing Professional Development activities.

There are more reasons than ever to being a CAR member. Your support strengthens the CAR’s position as the national voice of Canadian radiology and increases the visibility of our profession in the healthcare community, both with patients and with other healthcare professionals.

Join your fellow radiologists today and click here to enjoy the same CAR membership advantages that they do.

CAR Journal

Change – Year-end CPD Reports

The CARJ office will no longer be sending year-end Continuing Professional Development (CPD) reports for quizzes completed within the Insights4Imaging programme. This applies to all quizzes completed in 2013 and beyond. Participants are encouraged to go online at cpd.car.ca to get up-to-date details on their grades and statistical ranking.

The CARJ office will, however, continue to send electronic confirmation of participation in each quiz and provide instruction for uploading CPD credits to MAINPORT.

Medico-Legal Issues for Radiologists

The focus on quality of care in the past few years has prompted a closer look at the medico-legal risks faced by medical professionals. An article, Pinpointing medico-legal risk for radiologists, published by the Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) in its December 2013 newsletter, outlines some of the legal situations in Canada specific to radiologists.

The article’s recommendations for risk management refer to two CAR publications: the CAR Guide to Peer Review Systems and the CAR Standard for Communication of Diagnostic Imaging Findings.

To read the full article, click here.

In Memoriam

rankin

It is with much regret that we announce the passing of Dr. Richard Rankin on November 4th. Dr. Rankin was awarded the CAR Gold Medal in 2013 for his long-standing commitment to the field of radiology and for the decades of work and dedication he has shown to our Association and to the Canadian Radiological Foundation. He will be missed by the countless professionals and students who have had the privilege of working with him. We extend our most sincere condolences to the Rankin family.