Spring is in full swing in Texas, and as SIR comes off an energizing and stimulating Annual Meeting in Phoenix, we are ready for another exciting year of advancing IR science and supporting IR practice through research, education and dedicated advocacy.
In April, we celebrated Volunteer Appreciation Week, and I was asked why I volunteer for SIR. Initially, I joined SIR to help support and uplift the specialty of interventional radiology. As I became more engaged with SIR, I found an unparalleled level of connectedness and vibrancy in the community of co-volunteers and staff which truly inspires me to give my time.
SIR is the only organization fully dedicated to ensuring that interventional radiology thrives in the United States and abroad, with solid mission foundations focused on practice development, advocacy, education, research and community. We work hard to make IR the first choice in image-guided medicine by focusing on increasing patient access to IR treatments and awareness of IR among referring physicians, legislators and the public, as well as by improving patient outcomes through evidence-based medicine, providing lifelong learning for our members, and supporting innovation and research in IR.
Last year, SIR made an impact in every area to push the needle and improve IR practice.
Practice development:
- Updates to the coding manual are released annually to help members optimize billing.
- CPT codes are annually revised and submitted with great success—10 new and revised codes were accepted in 2022–2023.
- SIR creates National Academy of Medicine-compliant clinical practice guidelines that are disseminated via a mobile app which is used in over 130 countries.
- We obtained a new recognition of focused practice for interventional radiologists in CNS endovascular surgery, to preserve IRs’ ability to provide patient care in this clinical disease state.
- The IR Business Center launched, powered by volunteer experts with key resources to support the success of independent IR practice in office-based labs or ambulatory surgical centers.
Advocacy:
- The SIR team dedicates itself to annual advocacy for physician payment reform and increasing the number of GME training positions.
- Our members and SIR staff advocate for legislation favorable to IR, including the signing of the Rhode Island UFE coverage mandate which serves as a national model for elevating UFE to the same level as other fibroid treatments.
- We engage in regular CMS discussions which result in successes such as updated pricing for vascular interventional technologists, transitional pass-through status for new technologies, and advisement on design of a future practice expense survey.
- A partnership with the American Medical Association resulted in a successful co-sponsored resolution to modify policies regarding parental, family and medical leave for physicians and physicians-in-training.
- In 2023, SIRPAC raised over $67,000 to support lawmakers who champion IR.
Education:
- SIR 2023 was once again the premiere event for updates on the latest IR science, education and technology, with the program available now on-demand.
- The SIR Now platform hosts hundreds of educational videos, the majority of which are free for members. On SIR Now, members can view webinars, annual meeting programming and courses like the Stroke Course, Revenue Cycle Management, Business Institute or the SIR Coding Webinar. In addition, members can access SIR Shorts, informational and instructive videos, each under 10 minutes in length.
- There are opportunities to engage and learn with SIR education at every level of your IR career, from Residency Essentials to building a successful clinical practice.
- Members can access robust CME opportunities, including SIR’s monthly Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology CME subscription program.
Research:
- SIR Foundation research grants support IR research across all clinical disease states. In 2022, 20 grants, totaling $373,000, were awarded for IR research, and every $1 spent by SIR Foundation to support IR researchers has resulted in a return on investment of an additional $8 spent by the National Institutes of Health.
- The VIRTEX registry, which gathers national practice data to support referrals and reimbursement, was established and began enrolling sites.
- The SIR Foundation Clinical Trials Network launched to support IR researchers and connect scientists with opportunities to participate in multicenter studies.
- Our Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology remains the highest impact factor journal for IR, with worldwide readership and translation into multiple languages.
Community:
- SIR Connect has a brand-new identity, but is still the place to bring together IRs across the globe for discussion on all-things IR.
- Members can join one of our everevolving sections to find community, resources and support among IRs of similar employment, career stage or identities.
The passion for IR at SIR is contagious and as the professional home for the interventional radiology community worldwide, we urge you to help build and shape the community. Engage, become a volunteer or join a section. Mobilize your voice and help us build the future of IR. To learn more about volunteer opportunities at SIR, visit volunteer central at sirweb.org.
