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At the University of Miami Health System (UHealth) and the Miller school of Medicine (MSOM), our mission is to provide outstanding patient care in a precision fashion, advance the field of radiology through cutting-edge, data science-driven research, and train the next generation of radiologists who will partner with artificial intelligence (AI) as their “agent”.
We continue to believe our faculty is our most valuable asset and prioritize their professional growth and well-being through faculty development and mentorship (FDM) programs. In particular, Dr. Steven Falcone (Associate Chair), along with Drs. Felipe Munera, Monica Yepes, Ty Subhawong, Marcia Javitt, and Jean Jose, have been instrumental in fostering this culture of support. Aligned with our school’s mission, we follow the C.A.R.E.S. acronym, striving for excellence in Clinical, Administrative, Research (and Innovation), Education, and Service domains. We also value open communication, celebrating achievements, and providing resources and advocacy to promote our faculty’s success. This includes maintaining a balanced work environment to support high morale, with a focus on creating a culture of equity, belonging, and wellness. Our departmental leadership team has championed these efforts. We have successfully recruited several nationally and internationally prominent faculty to enhance these efforts.
Preventing burnout and rewarding achievement and performance are crucial in retaining and promoting our faculty. Creating new, dynamic workflows is key. As national data has shown that imaging volumes are expected to double over the next 10 years, radiologists cannot feasibly read twice as much, and this we strive to mitigate radiology against the field’s trend of commoditization towards “low value” care (i.e. the resultant lowering quality from increasing volumes). Hence, new models of shift work, with manageable volumes and support for routine tasks, are essential for preserving the integrity of our field.
To address these challenges, we have embraced technology and data science-based informatics to enhance imaging workflows. Our investments in “value based” approaches include optimizing radiologists’ structured reporting, confirming the appropriateness of advanced imaging examinations, and using National Language Processing (NLP) to assess the relevance and impact of the radiologists’ findings and diagnoses.
Accordingly, several of our department’s leaders are actively involved in the American College of Radiology (ACR) to work on incorporating AI and data science techniques to both clinical best practices and the ever-changing realm of reimbursement. For example, confirming the value of a negative examination (such as a negative cervical spine CT scan in the setting of high-speed motor vehicle accident), is one such critical effort that we term “impact”.
We simultaneously, with the help of our leaders Drs. Thiago Braga, Jean Jose, Fernando Collado-Mesa, Jose Net, and other on the EHR-based documentation of how, where and when in the medical imaging life cycle the radiologist serves as an inflection point on care; we term this effort “provenance”. We do this working against the general, national trend of commoditization, in the vein of demonstrating the highest levels of quality and patient-centric-care.
In the realm of artificial intelligence (AI), we are implementing first-of-its-kind POC-AID (Point of Care AI Deployment) system to expedite care for inpatients, emergency patients, and outpatients. This system is especially beneficial for outpatients with ‘actionable incidental findings’ (AIF’s), accelerating their pathways towards a consult visit with the appropriate specialist provider. This effort required not just “pixel-based” imaging AI, but working with vendors to integrate AI into our workflows, and requires HI (Human Intelligence) to optimize and close the loop of communication between patients and providers. This POC-AID communication can be triggered immediately following the scan in many outpatients with urgent conditions, even before they leave the facility!
Other critical information technology (IT) advancements include our work towards next-generation PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) technology, which will provide relevant and critical information to the radiologist as they dictate. With automated structured reporting and impression generation, incidental findings followed via AI married to HI to ensure surveillance of “at risk” patients, and helping patents understand their imaging reports. We have developed “value partnerships” with select leaders in industry to affect these disruptive, positive changes to radiology and medicine, to dispel the notion that diagnostic radiologists are “non-patient facing,” and thus not impactful. Hence, we intend to trailblaze against the trend of commoditization in imaging. We hope that future radiologists will not just be “Diagnostic” or “Interventionalists”, but also become “Preventionists” via incorporating a mix of HI with task-based “Agentic” AI models.
Recruiting top talent remains essential to maintaining the vitality of our department and to uphold our commitment to both clinical and research excellence in South Florida. Our collaborative programs and relationship between the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and Jackson Health System (JHS) provide trainees with meaningful training and research opportunities and cultivate an environment that promotes learning and innovation. With UHealth’s distinction as the only National Cancer Institute designated center in the region, and JHS’s status as a leading transplant center we are poised to continue leading in academic and clinical excellence.
Thank you for choosing our department for your radiology needs. We look forward to serving you with exceptional care and service. Come and join us as we launch into the future of medical imaging technology and data science. We are excited about the future of radiology and the chance to shape new paradigms within the field. One key initiative is establishing “Preventional Radiology,” a transformative approach positioning radiologists as “Preventionists.” By combining advanced imaging, AI, and human intelligence (HI), this initiative focuses on early intervention and better health outcomes. Our goal is to prevent disease progression, improve patient care, and redefine radiology’s impact beyond diagnosis and intervention. Together, we are shaping the next chapter in radiology’s evolution. Go AI+HI!
Sincerely,
Alexander M. McKinney, MD, CI-CIIP
Shapiro Chair and Professor, Department of Radiology
University Miami Miller School of Medicine, UHealth