American College of Radiology picks nationally recognized leader to fill CMO role
The American College of Radiology has picked a noted leader in radiation oncology to fill a key chief medical officer role.
Bruce Haffty, MD, will serve as the college’s CMO for radiation oncology research. In the position, he’ll collaborate with ACR staff, the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Foundation and industry partners to advance research across the specialty.
Haffty previously served chair of radiation oncology at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, stepping down last year after spending 20 years in the role. He’s also a past president of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), serving in 2022.
“Dr. Haffty’s history of strong leadership in radiation oncology and clinical trials will be instrumental in shaping the future of ACR radiation therapy research initiatives and improving outcomes for patients worldwide,” ACR CEO Dana H. Smetherman, MD, MPH, MBA, said in a statement Jan. 28.
He also previously served as president of the American Board of Radiology, American Society for Radiation Oncology and the American Radium Society. Haffty’s research work has included roles as investigator on multiple clinical trials in national cooperative groups and authoring numerous peer reviewed publications and scientific presentations, ACR noted.
He’ll continue to serve as associate vice chancellor or cancer programs at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences and professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson and New Jersey Medical School.
“I am honored and thrilled to take on this important role at ACR to help in advancing clinical trials that move our specialty forward and improving healthcare for the patients we serve,” Haffty said in the announcement.
His appointment is one of several recent announcements from the American College of Radiology. In other news, ACR also:
- Named Inselspital, the University Hospital of Bern, Switzerland, as the first international institution to participate in the ACR Recognized Center for Healthcare-AI (ARCH AI) program for artificial intelligence governance in radiology.
- Launched a comprehensive suite of educational tools to help radiology residents, fellows and practicing rads prepare for the return of the American Board of Radiology Oral Board Examination in 2028.
- Appointed Matthew Spurgeon to serve as executive VP of member value and experience, joining the college from the American Health Information Management Association.
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.