Entry Details

About the Entry

Category: 
All Content > Case Study > Mid Atlantic

Title of entry: 
Transforming Women's Health

Issue or Publication date:
May 2023

Publication name: 
ACR Bulletin

Publishing/parent company: 
American College of Radiology

View Website home page:
https://www.acr.org/

Description of the enterprising work that went into this entry and its significance or impact on readers:

Founded in 1923, the American College of Radiology is at the forefront of radiology evolution, representing more than 41,000 diagnostic and interventional radiologists, radiation oncologists, nuclear medicine physicians and medical physicists. Through the content of the ACR Bulletin and other publications and programs, the ACR’s mission is to serve as the voice of our members, empowering them to serve patients by advancing the practice of radiological care.

This article was part of the ACR’s Special Centennial Section celebrating the organization’s 100th anniversary in 2023. The challenge we faced with this article was condensing 100 years of history into about 1,000 words by concisely highlighting how the ACR has impacted women’s health through the decades by establishing mammography quality standards, lobbying for Medicare coverage of mammography screening, mandating mammography accreditation, establishing reporting guidelines, and promoting regular screening to save more lives by detecting cancer early enough to successfully treat it.

The enterprising work involved in this wide-encompassing story included several phone, email, and Zoom interviews with a handful of thought leaders from the ACR—some of which were featured in the published story, while others provided important background information necessary to shape the story. Piecing together this case history of the ACR’s impact on women’s health also involved many hours of research into mammography standards, accreditation programs, and screening recommendations through the years—not only following the ACR’s role, but painting a complete picture of the other organizations involved in shaping women’s healthcare through the years.

Although the original assignment was specific to women’s health, particularly breast cancer screening, the information I gathered ultimately illustrated how these advances in mammography paved the way for quality improvements in other medical specialties, impacting health and safety across modalities for both men and women. As part of the ACR’s centennial celebration, this article showcases the impact the organization has made—and continues to make today—by advancing the practice of radiological care across the spectrum.

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https://www.acr.org/Practice-Management-Quality-Informatics/ACR-Bulletin/Articles/May-2023/Transforming-Womens-Health

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