ACR tries different approaches to engage members and Congress at annual meeting

To encourage this, ACR redesigned the meeting’s layout to foster more networking and informal discussions. Instead of a traditional, structured booth setup, the meeting featured open spaces where members could interact with staff and peers. At times, those conversations became so lively that session moderators had to quiet the room so speakers could be heard.

Another addition was a series of “Listen and Learn” lunch sessions in which attendees could join discussions on key topics such as artificial intelligence in radiology, the workforce shortage and consolidation. Leaders including the board chair, vice chair and CEO made themselves available for candid, open conversations with members.

On the advocacy front, ACR also put a fresh spin on its long-standing Capitol Hill Day. For the first time, members were asked to wear their white coats when meeting with lawmakers. The move was meant to underscore the role of radiologists as physicians, something Smetherman noted is not always widely understood.

The strategy quickly paid off. In one case, a group of ACR members wearing white coats arrived for an unscheduled “drop by” visit with a congressional office. Mistaking them for a scheduled physician delegation, staff escorted them directly into a lawmaker’s meeting room. Meanwhile, the actual group in business suits was left waiting outside.

“That really drove home the message,” Smetherman said. “Even though radiologists provide more care to Medicare patients than any other specialty, many people don’t realize we’re doctors. Wearing the white coats made a big difference.”

Smetherman said the changes reflect ACR’s dual mission of supporting its members through meaningful engagement and ensuring radiology’s voice is clearly heard in Washington.