RSNA seeks ideas on how radiology can help save the planet
The Radiological Society of North America is looking for ideas on how the specialty can help save the planet while cutting costs and improving patient care.
RSNA on Friday announced the launch of its new Imaging Sustainability Challenge, seeking radiology departments, divisions and multidisciplinary teams interested in showcasing their environmental stewardship efforts.
The society said it welcomes submissions ranging from small pilot projects to departmentwide initiatives, which can be in the earlier ideation phase or mature stages of development.
“The RSNA Imaging Sustainability Challenge was created to help translate growing awareness into practical, measurable action,” Kate Hanneman, MD, MPH, chair of RSNA’s Environmental Sustainability Committee, said in a statement July 24. “By highlighting innovative and scalable solutions from across the radiology community, we hope to inspire meaningful improvements that align high-quality patient care with operational efficiency, responsible resource use and environmental sustainability.”
RSNA said the inaugural challenge will focus on the theme of “aligning care, cost and sustainability,” seeking proposals on how environmental stewardship can improve operations while preserving resources. The society is accepting submissions through Sept. 30. Projects described must have launched within the last three years, according to the submission form. RSNA suggested other potential project ideas that could include protocol optimization, waste reduction strategies, education-linked quality improvement efforts, or any other interventions that limit imaging’s environmental impact.
The goal is to help inspire other radiology departments with ideas on how to address sustainability, RSNA noted. Submissions should include details on how the initiative can be adapted by others in the radiology community. It also must include information on how the project aligns care, cost and sustainability—with measurable outcomes achieved (or potentially achieved) through the effort.
Selected submissions will be evaluated based on impact, innovation and scalability, with RSNA likely to highlight standouts through its various channels.
“The challenge is an exciting opportunity to highlight low carbon, high quality projects leading the way to a sustainable climate resilient healthcare ecosystem,” said Maura J. Brown, MD, MA, a member of the Environmental Sustainability Committee and lead for the RSNA Imaging Sustainability Challenge ad hoc group.
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.