President’s column By Michael D. Dake, MD, FSIR Adaptive collaboration A


t the recent SIR Executive Council and SIR Foundation Board of Directors meeting, I found myself reminiscing


on last April. What a very different time and reality it was for SIR. We were fresh off the success of our annual meeting in Austin, which feels just like yesterday— and yet the world has dramatically changed since we were last all together.


This year has posed professional and personal challenges for SIR and IRs. Through it all, everyone at all levels has contributed and come together as a community to navigate and respond to the ever-shifting landscape of our current public health crisis. The SIR Executive Council and SIR Foundation Board of Directors meeting exemplified this spirit of adaptive collaboration through some of the most innovative months SIR has ever seen.


SIR’s response to COVID-19 has been swift, informed and impactful. The members of the Quality and Performance Improvement Division have published robust COVID-19 resources to help our members through the early days of treating patients and is guiding IRs on how to reopen our practices safely. They have begun looking at the economic, policy and practice implications on IRs, and provided resources on how COVID-19 affected the provision of care, from telehealth services to departmental collaborations that showcased the value of IR. And, in the midst of this, our Annual Meeting Committee worked hard to swiftly reshape the nature of our annual meeting.


I want to congratulate the Annual Meeting Committee, faculty and staff for their excellent work in adapting SIR 2020 to a virtual platform, full of the scientific content, educational programming, opportunities to connect


6 IRQ | SUMMER 2020


Through it all, everyone at all levels has contributed and come together as a community to navigate and respond to the ever-shifting landscape of our current public health crisis.


with corporate partners and community spirit that make our annual meetings so fruitful. Everyone did an incredible job mitigating the complications posed by cancelling our in-person meeting in Seattle and creating new opportunities that put us on a strong foundation moving forward. SIR 2020 VIRtual showed us what is possible, and I look forward to seeing these innovations applied to upcoming meetings this year and beyond.


While it is rewarding to reflect on what we have accomplished, we must look forward to what comes next. At the recent SIR Executive Council and SIR Foundation Board of Directors meeting we did just this, looking at our progress this year to determine where we recommit our efforts.


Much of this means continuing support of our existing values. In June, we released a public statement denouncing any act of hatred and bigotry on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity, and recommitting ourselves to antiracism in our efforts, policies and programs. Our Diversity and Inclusiveness Group Task Force has been working for several years to ensure that these values are a vital part of our strategic plan. These efforts are at the heart of discussions


to question how we, as IRs, can help combat disparities and inequities in health care.


The values, programs and collaboration shown during these past months are just the beginning of what we can achieve. One upcoming initiative I look forward to is the relaunch of the IR Quality Registry. We are exploring how sections, service lines, other SIR divisions and the foundation can collaborate to raise the bar on quality, research and evidence in IR and for IR. I encourage all interested volunteers to learn more about the registry efforts and share ideas on how we can actualize its success.


SIR is truly powered by volunteers, and these past months have never made that clearer. We are constantly looking for ways to implement a more effective and efficient decision-making structure, provide clearer objectives and key results, and enhance volunteer productivity and satisfaction. We want to make SIR the best benefit and voice possible for our members— whether that is through our Voices for IR Grassroots program, supporting high-quality research and funding, or providing educational and leadership opportunities for members.


And finally, I would be remiss not to express gratitude to SIR’s departing Executive Director Susan Sedory for the years she has spent leading and strengthening our society. SIR is a wonderful society to be a part of—in no small part thanks to Sue. I know I speak for all members when I say that I wish her well in her future role, and I hope to stay close and carry on our friendship.


Things may be changing quickly, but as IRs we are most comfortable on the leading edge of innovation. I look forward to seeing where that spirit takes us next.


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