American College of Radiology receives $6M gift from late radiologist's estate
The American College of Radiology Foundation has received a $6 million gift from the estate of Christopher G. Ullrich, MD, and his wife, Betsy C. Ullrich, to support initiatives focused on improving the specialty for both patients and providers.
Ullrich was a longtime ACR member and a recognized expert in radiology health policy and economics. He received the ACR's William T. Thorwarth Jr., MD, Award in 2016 for contributions to radiology health policy and economics and was posthumously awarded the ACR Gold Medal—the organization’s highest honor—in 2022.
During his career, Ullrich held several leadership positions within the organization, including chair of committees focused on economics, payer relations, state government relations, and utilization management. He also served on the ACR Council Steering Committee.
The donation, announced on Aug. 31, is expected to strengthen research and advocacy efforts across the college, including work by the Neiman Health Policy Institute. ACR officials said the gift will support public policy research, data analysis and regulatory policy efforts intended to benefit radiologists, the profession and patients.
The gift comes as radiology continues to face policy and reimbursement challenges that can influence access to medical imaging. Research into utilization, payment policy, regulatory requirements and healthcare economics can help inform decisions affecting how imaging services are delivered and reimbursed. ACR officials said the organization is continuing to determine how to maximize the gift’s impact.
“The college is profoundly grateful for the extraordinary generosity and commitment to radiology and public service of Christopher and Betsy Ullrich,” ACR CEO Dana H. Smetherman, MD, MPH, MBA, said in an announcement on the donation. “Consistent with their vision, the gift will recognize and support public policy research, data analysis and regulatory policy efforts that will benefit ACR members, the profession and the patients we serve.”
“This tremendous gift reflects a shared commitment by the Ullrichs and ACR to advance radiology’s role as an essential component of modern healthcare,” added Christoph Wald, MD, PhD, chair of the ACR Board of Chancellors. “Their generosity will help ACR’s advocacy efforts and the Neiman Health Policy Institute to improve the care of patients, communities and the profession for generations to come.”
In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.