Network Collaboration of an Academic Institution and a Community Health Organization

Implementing a Multidisciplinary Tumor Board in the Community Practice Setting

“…In response to changes in the health care economic climate over the past decade, academic radiology has been expanding into the community. This community expansion may be achieved through a brick and mortar approach, practice/hospital acquisition, or a partnership-based model in which the community hospital provides use of its facilities, staff, and equipment in exchange for physician staffing by the academic institution [ 1 , 2 ]. As a result, advanced academic radiology services, such as subspecialty expertise and access to cutting-edge technologies, that have traditionally only been accessible at academic medical centers, are made available to the patient population in the community setting [ 1 ].…”

Building Relations with Radiology Administrators

“…In an environment where the radiologist group and radiology department staff do not share a common employer [15,16,17], an additional level of complexity is introduced into the departmental dynamics that may result in additional sources of conflict. In this setting, the radiologist may be employed by a private radiology group [14] or a partner institution [16,17].…”

“…In this setting, the radiologist may be employed by a private radiology group [14] or a partner institution [16,17]. The goal of this article is to educate our membership regarding how differential training and goals between administrators and radiologists may contribute to conflict, and to provide constructive strategies to leverage conflict in such a way to affect positive change.…”

Implementing Standardized Protocols During Geographic Radiology Expansion

“…After operating at a single academic site for more than 25 years, the department recently expanded its reach outside the Texas Medical Center to an additional 15 community breast centers in the greater Houston area, where our current radiologist staffing has more than doubled. This was executed as part of a strategic plan to increase patient access, market share, and visibility [1,2]. The change in academic outreach has required adaptation in ways that were not originally anticipated.Clinical standardization has emerged as a vital component in both creating and sustaining quality in any health care organization [3].…”