Radiology Partners discusses its research priorities
The country’s largest imaging group discussed some of its research priorities in a blog post shared on Wednesday.
The Radiology Partners Research Institute is an affiliation between RP and some of the leading academic institutions in the U.S. A division of its Clinical Value Team, the institute seeks to use medical imaging to enhance value while accelerating the implementation of research in clinical practice.
“One of RPRI’s priorities is to produce meaningful research to support radiology,” Eric Rohren, MD, PhD, associate chief medical officer for research and education and leader of the institute, said in the blog post.
He pointed to a February study, exploring the impact of COVID-19 on mammography volumes across the organization’s practices, as one example. Rad Partners also recently formed an RPRI advisory board, with studies launching on topics such as interventional procedure trends, lung cancer screening and report labeling. Several more publications are slated for release this year, RP noted.
The institute has also focused on offering educational sessions covering emerging treatments, with two recent examples focused on an absorbable IVC filters and liquid embolic material. Training new rads also is a priority, RP noted. The institute’s education advisory board comprises 11 residency program directors, with more than 200 enrolled residents.
“We continue to expand our residency programs; our newest program launched in Texas last year,” Rohren said. “We are proud of the training and experience residents receive through our programs. In fact, many trainees choose to stay [and] begin their careers at RP-affiliated practices.”
Baylor College of Medicine in Houston—where Rohren is professor and department chair—is RP’s primary academic partner. Other collaborators have previously included University of Chicago Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Duke University. RPRI awarded $20,000 research grants to several institutions in 2019, including Duke and UofC.
You can read more about the institute in Wednesday’s blog post and this 2021 news item announcing Rohren’s appointment.
Radiology Partners employs over 3,600 physicians servicing 3,300 hospitals and outpatient facilities across all 50 states, according to previous estimates. Physicians own about 33% of the company, with investors accounting for the balance, and RP generated $3 billion in revenue last year.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.