In the everyday hustle of running a radiology practice, it’s sometimes difficult for physician and administrative leaders to find time to work together to address common practice challenges. The annual ACR-RBMA Practice Leadership Forum (PLF), a think tank of physician and administrative leaders from across the radiology industry, offers these teams protected time to learn together. The annual event co-hosted by the ACR Radiology Leadership Institute (RLI) and the Radiology Business Management Association (RBMA) takes place Jan. 19–21, 2024, in Phoenix.

The ACR Bulletin asked representatives from Radiology Associates of North Texas to share how this “team approach” has worked for them. Radiologist W. Bruce Lowry, MD, FACR, and CEO Corbin Wilson, JD, who is also a current PLF co-chair, have attended several past PLF events together.

How is the Practice Leadership Forum different from any other meeting?

Lowry: The PLF is unique in that it is designed and organized to benefit the combined physician and administrative leadership. The topics covered are pertinent to all facets of running a successful group. These range from macro issues like the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule changes and other legislative issues to micro issues like physician reimbursement, utilizing advanced practice providers (APPs) in a practice, or transitioning to peer learning from peer review. The meeting helps get the administrative team — physician and non-physician — on the same page on the issues, regardless of their respective responsibility. The format allows the attendees to learn how other groups are approaching the various challenges we all face. It also is an excellent opportunity for networking.

Wilson: Yes, the key Dr. Lowry mentioned is that it brings the best speakers and presentations from both the RBMA and the ACR RLI to compare current challenges and initiatives and allows the chance for both administrative and physician leaders from your practice to make decisions based on the best available information and expert advice. And to be completely honest, it helps me to hear from other physician leaders outside of my own group to better understand and appreciate my own physicians’ perspectives — and I know the exposure to other administrators helps my group’s physicians better understand me and my viewpoints.

The format allows the attendees to learn how other groups are approaching the various challenges we all face. It also is an excellent opportunity for networking.

What are the top reasons to send a team?

Lowry: By allowing your leadership to attend the meeting, you ensure they will be exposed to a broad range of topics that encompass current and future challenges. They also learn about solutions that different groups — academic, private practice and corporate — have instituted so that you are not reinventing the wheel to find one appropriate to your situation. This is true no matter the size of your practice. It’s definitely worth the cost of attendance.

Wilson: I agree that the key here is finding the most direct path to the solutions that your practice is either currently facing or soon will be. You can continue to figure things out the hard way or take advantage of the missteps of others, as well as gain access to experts and thought leaders that will allow you to jumpstart improvements and catapult your practice to success.

Why is it particularly valuable to attend as an administrative-physician leader team?

Wilson: As physicians and administrators, we are typically educated, trained, mentored and socialized speaking different languages. On top of that, physicians and administrators typically have different priorities, often with little exposure to or even understanding of the priorities of the other. One of the significant values of the PLF is that it provides extended time and a safe space for both administrators and physicians to attend sessions led by both, where they get basic exposure to and begin to learn each other’s language. The presentations are typically designed so that these different priorities are presented in a way that demonstrates the need for both to achieve true success and the effectiveness that comes from bringing both perspectives and skillsets together.

You then have the opportunity and available time together, away from the office or clinical responsibilities, to discuss what you have learned and best practices presented, and to determine if and how to develop and incorporate them into your own practice. In essence, the PLF can serve as a pseudo planning retreat or leadership workshop for your practice, guided by industry experts.

Lowry: I agree that it is a great opportunity to learn and plan in a remote setting somewhat separated from the challenges of daily operations. There is a great reservoir of knowledge that is freely shared among those attending.

Describe a challenge you were able to work on as a team by attending the PLF?

Wilson: One of the most significant crossroads we have faced as a practice was directed by insights gained from presentations and discussions our administrators and physician leaders heard together at PLF events in 2019 and 2020 related to whether a decision to sell or partner with private equity made sense for our practice. It provided expert insights and the opportunity to evaluate the pros and cons of a sale, talk to other group leaders about their experiences and look at other models and strategies to enhance the security, quality, size and scale of our practice.

In addition to this specific initiative, I cannot remember a PLF I have returned from where we have not collectively decided at the event to make certain practice improvements: physician employment contract revisions, compensation model, scheduling, wellness programs, facility contracts/PSAs or the way we measure productivity. It is a think tank of physician and administrative leaders from across the radiology industry sharing thoughts and ideas, with both our administrative and clinical practice leaders making decisions to create an even brighter future.

Lowry: I agree that we always come away with a few pearls. Whether it be preparing for changes in the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System, in billing or coding, in setting up an office-based lab or how others are handling recruitment and retention, there is always something that makes attendance worthwhile.

2024 ACR-RBMA Practice Leadership Forum

Learn how the team approach can help your practice by attending the 2024 ACR-RBMA Practice Leadership Forum, which takes place Jan. 19–21 in Phoenix, Ariz. By taking advantage of the event’s team pricing, you can accelerate learning and build a shared vision when you register your physician and administrative leaders together. For an overview, program description and registration information, visit the Practice Leadership Forum page.