Academia and industry can coexist without compromising either's objectives, and both will benefit from increased entrepreneurial collaboration, a Baltimore radiologist said at an RSNA refresher course.
In the changing economic climate of academic radiology practice, entrepreneurial innovation is essential for research and development as well as financial well-being, said Dr. Elias Zerhouni, a professor of radiology at Johns Hopkins University.
Academic radiologists have become especially vulnerable to the influences of managed care. University-based practitioners face increased market pressures, decreased reimbursement, and dwindling resources for research and teaching. The pressures have resulted in growing turf-related conflict. Interventional radiology procedures and vascular surgery are two particular areas of professional conflict, Zerhouni said.
In contrast to the aloof positions academic physicians have traditionally taken vis a vis the medical and healthcare industries, an entrepreneurial spirit is necessary today, he said. Support for the concept must exist at the institutional level. Universities need clear policies related to technology transfer and conflict of interest. Academic centers should also offer radiologists the flexibility to follow unconventional career paths.
"The objective is to unlock unique sources of value in your professional environment," Zerhouni said.
At Johns Hopkins, for example, radiologists have joined with practitioners in the community to form a for-profit venture to counter market pressures. The venture evolved from radiologists' recognition that large group practices in the area were effectively gaining control of available premium dollars for radiology services, Zerhouni said.
Johns Hopkins also initiated a program to accelerate the developmental cycle for new imaging technology. Industry scientists and physicians worked closely with Hopkins radiologists on site to evaluate new technology.
"We could tell within two weeks whether something would work," Zerhouni said. "Normally, it would have taken six months or longer. Academic radiologists had new opportunities to pursue research interests and to evaluate clinical applications of a technology."
Johns Hopkins has created a patent committee and engaged a patent law firm to teach faculty members how to develop intellectual property that can be protected against encroachment or abuse. Earlier this year, the university formed a spin-off company that funds clinical research and product development.
As an example of the innovation that can emerge from academic entrepreneurs, Zerhouni described the development of miniature high-resolution MR imaging devices that can be used assess plaque formation in blood vessels. The vision for the technology has expanded from strictly diagnostic imaging to use in combination with balloon angioplasty and the development of a catheter-based helical antenna radio-frequency ablation device for treatment of atrial fibrillation.
"Entrepreneurship and academia can be synergistic, and I think we will see more and more examples in the future," he said.
