From the Chair: How SIIM is Like a Cold Fish? - SIIM News Spring 2008

Curtis Langlotz, MD, PhD

I recently had a conversation with a colleague who was particularly excited about his trip to the SIIM annual meeting this year—but not for the reasons you would expect. He was excited about a fish: the Copper River salmon. The Copper River comprises over 300 miles of ice-cold glacier runoff, whose rapids slice through several Alaskan mountain ranges, emptying into the Copper River delta. In mid-May each year, salmon return to the delta to begin their long swim upstream to spawn. Because these fish have evolved to store energy and to insulate themselves from the cold water in anticipation of their challenging journey, the Copper River salmon are especially delicious and nutritious.

The first and most obvious connection between SIIM and this tasty fish is the timing and location of the SIIM annual meeting this year. The meeting will be held in Seattle during mid-May, which marks the first arrival of daily “salmon-thirty-salmon” (737) aircraft filled with literally tons of fresh-caught Copper River salmon.

But there is a more subtle connection between SIIM and this unique culinary treat: SIIM is strong, healthy, and insulated from many of the challenges that face the health care industry today. When I became Chair 2 years ago, SIIM was nearing the end of a period of rapid growth that had transformed it from a small group of intrepid PACS pioneers to a larger and stronger organization of scientists, developers, users, administrators, purchasers, and vendors—all interested in the systems that support electronic medical imaging. Everyone knew the organization was poised to do great things. The question was: What will SIIM do with its new-found strength? While our discipline today remains healthy, someday soon we may be swimming upstream. Here is some of what we have done over these past 2 years to prepare for our future.

The Certified Imaging Informatics Professional (CIIP) Program
In collaboration with the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, SIIM has taken a critical step to encourage and sustain professionalism among imaging informatics practitioners by establishing an independent certification body, the American Board of Imaging Informatics (ABII). ABII’s certified imaging informatics professional (CIIP) program is widely viewed as both prestigious and rigorous, with more than 180 imaging informatics professionals already certified.

SIIM’s New Grant Programs
SIIM has established or expanded several grant programs that will spawn myriad innovations in imaging technology—a key factor in our continuing success. These extramural grant programs will help to sustain our leadership in the conception, development, and testing of imaging informatics systems and technologies. Until last year, SIIM had awarded at most 2 grants each year. In 2008, SIIM will award 6 grants for a total of more than $200,000. SIIM awards now support not only hypothesis-driven research by academic scientists but also high-risk/high-reward “micro” experiments, innovative product development studies, and informatics training and mentoring. As SIIM has increased its grant awards, it has also implemented a financial plan to sustain these award programs in perpetuity.

Annual Meeting Innovations
The annual meeting in Seattle this year will feature a variety of initiatives to strengthen our position as the premier organization focused on imaging informatics. You will see many familiar features, like a live workflow demonstration of advanced 3D imaging technologies, stimulating educational and scientific sessions, numerous posters and demonstrations, lively social functions, and an open source “plug fest.” But 2 critical new features will debut during the meeting in Seattle.

The first of these enhancements will expand the channels of communication between software vendors and software users. Here are the unfortunate facts: Software users typically have a crystal clear idea of what they expect from their software systems. And software vendors earnestly try to satisfy the needs of users. Yet, many software products fall short of users’ needs and expectations. While SIIM has always fostered relationships between vendors and users, the expectation gap has persisted. This year SIIM’s Closing General Session will redouble efforts to close the gap through a provocative discussion among outspoken users and vendor representatives who will provide direct feedback about the strengths and weaknesses of vendor products.

Also for the first time this year, SIIM will sponsor a special session where users and vendors can communicate frankly about their products. This session will enable you to share tips and tricks with others who use the same products, and provide feedback to the vendors. As any software customer knows, there is strength in numbers.

Another new direction for the SIIM meeting this year is its special attention to the image management needs of cardiologists, pathologists, and other medical imaging specialties. This year’s meeting will feature not only a SIIM U session on enterprise integration strategies but also a Hot Topic session drawing similarities and contrasts between image management issues inside and outside of radiology. We have much to learn about the imaging needs of other specialties and how they complement those of radiology. And, we have much to offer other specialties from our comparatively long experience with digital image management systems.

To help us connect our past to our future, we are particularly pleased that the opening keynote address will be given by Dr. Ron Arenson, the chair of radiology at the University of California, San Francisco. Ron is an informatics pioneer who founded the Radiology Information System Consortium (a progenitor of SIIM) more than 25 years ago. He has lived through the ups and downs of the RIS and PACS industries, and is one of the most incisive and provocative thinkers in our discipline. Because he has traveled a similar route before, he has an ideal vantage point from which to chart our future course.

Thank You from the Chair
It was especially gratifying for me to be a part of SIIM’s progress these past 2 years by serving as your Chair. The discipline of imaging informatics is still near the beginning of its journey. Our progress over the last 2 years primarily has been due to a committed cadre of hard-working SIIM volunteers. Thanks in particular are due to Rick Morin, who preceded me as chair and who, as past-chair, has served as a mentor and guide. I also owe great thanks to Brad Erickson, who has ably chaired our program committee for the past several years, and will succeed me as SIIM Chair. And thank you to the members of the SIIM board of directors, the SIIM committee chairs, the SIIM staff, and to all of you who spend your valuable time contributing to our vibrant group, whether simply by participating in our meeting, or by volunteering your time to enhance the Society in other ways. As you partake of the Copper River salmon under Seattle’s beautiful spring skies this year, I hope you not only take pride in our progress so far but also take note of the challenges ahead.

Dr. Langlotz is Vice Chair for Informatics in the Department of Radiology at the University of Pennsylvania, and Medical Director, Information Services, at the University of Pennsylvania Health System.