New York State Radiological Society
Radiation Oncology Committee Report
October 13, 2001
Karen Fountain, M.D., Chairperson
A number of resolutions impacting radiation oncology were approved during the ACR Annual Meeting in San Francisco. Copies will be mailed to ACR members.
Screening for Prostate Cancer and Implications for Treatment
ACR Standard for 3-D External Beam Radiation Planning and Conformal Therapy
ACR Standard for the Performance of Total Body Irradiation
ACR Standard for the Performance of Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Standard for the Management of Ductal Carcinoma In-Situ of the Breast (DCIS )
Standard for Breast Conservation Therapy in the Management of Invasive Breast Carcinoma
The ACR/ASTRO Committee on Economics will distribute a Radiation Oncology User's Guide which will include standards, utilization data, codes, and required supporting documentation. The guide will be updated annually.
Drafts of proposed standards to be considered at the 2002 ACR meeting are being circulated. A partial list includes the following:
ACR Standard on Informed Consent -Radiation Oncology
ACR Standard for Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)
ACR Standard on the Expert Witness in Diagnostic Radiology , Interventional Radiology, and
Radiation Oncology.
Should any NYSRS members wish to review and submit comments, please contact me for copies.
On October 13, a meeting chaired by Dr. Norbert Rainford was held at the Yorktown Heights Medicare office for Medicare staff and physician consultants for quality assurance purposes. A September 12 meeting of Carrier Advisory Committee members with Medicare officials to discuss radiation oncology billing issues will be rescheduled. The meeting was to occur at the Medicare offices located in the World Trade Towers. Issues to be discussed at some point include but are not limited to prostate implants performed at outpatient facilities, IMRT at freestanding centers, and vascular brachytherapy procedures to prevent restenosis.
Radiation oncologists and radiation oncology physicists are encouraged to submit their applications for consideration for ACR Fellowship, especially if they have been ACR members for more than fifteen years. Members of the Fellowship Committee are available to answer questions and assist in reviewing applications.
Membership in RADPAC is more critical than ever; here is your opportunity to have an additional voice in the ongoing healthcare debate.
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