EUROPE
Special Section: Building a better radiologist

In radiology, as in every walk of life, some people are born leaders. Nearly everyone, however, can use a little guidance to refine their abilities. While most radiology educators believe organizational and leadership skills are important and should be fostered at an early stage, preferably in residency, the reality is that management is not generally taught in a structured manner at university training centers. And although many clinical meetings are held in Europe, management seminars are hard to find.

The few groups that offer seminars in this area, most notably the European Working Group on Management in Radiology (EWGMR), appear to be gaining momentum, however. Affiliated with the European Association of Radiology (EAR), the working group was founded on an informal basis in the mid-1990s by four young radiologists once collectively dubbed "The Four Musketeers" and the "Young Turks": Prof. Gabriel Krestin, Prof. Paolo Pavone, Prof. Dr. Georg Bongartz, and Prof. Dr. Christian Herold.

The EWGMR has hosted annual meetings since 1998, when it first convened in Strasbourg, France. The group's fifth meeting, held in Paris last month, was expected to draw at least 200 registrants. The program included a heavy focus on technical topics such as radiology information systems, PACS, and computer-aided detection, as well as administrative sessions on the use of physician extenders, productivity enhancement, and avoidance of malpractice through good radiological communication. Programming has historically emphasized development of verbal and nonverbal communication skills. The EWGMR also holds smaller leadership gatherings at ski resorts, which typically draw 50 to 60 radiologists.

Like the EWGMR, the International Society for Strategic Studies in Radiology hosts large management seminars, but attendance is by invitation only and meetings are held every two years. The next is scheduled for August 2003 in Paris.

Some national radiological societies are also active in providing management training. In Italy, for example, the national society sponsors short-term management courses in every region every year, said Prof. Roberto Passariello, chair of radiological sciences at the University of Rome "La Sapienza." Attendance at these sessions is mandatory for those seeking to become department heads.

The courses cover the basics of management, including cost-benefit analyses, economic theory, and optimal organization of radiology departments, including staffing and workload levels. Radiologists seeking to become department chiefs must take a test in management as part of the application process, so those who want to be on a management track are likely to take full advantage of the regional courses beyond the mandatory requirements, Passariello said.

Although department chiefs are responsible for handling these tasks, younger radiologists should find ways of contributing to center management, said Dr. Milos Lucic, president of the Junior Radiologists' Forum and deputy head of diagnostic imaging at the Institute of Oncology in Novi Sad, Serbia.

At Lucic's diagnostic imaging center, for example, junior radiologists proposed building their own RIS, using the expertise of radiologists on staff who had a strong background in computer science. The suggestion was accepted and the RIS is now up and running, with improved efficiency the result.

"Junior radiologists need time to develop their ideas and bring fresh proposals to the table," Lucic said.