Surveying the Landscape
supporting each other, instead of just one person in one department?’”
The Rush DR leadership, he notes, had some initial concerns about the loss of value the separation would represent to the radiology department. “However, the collaboration and communication has become more synergistic than ever, and both departments have found that their work can be done better separately.”
Conclusion Dr. Arslan cautions that this effort didn’t happen overnight. He hopes, though, that with examples like his experience and other emerging cases, it will become increasingly straightforward for other IR groups to form their own independent department. He hopes to share a range of examples at SIR 2026, where he will be the program chair.
“I know a lot of IR groups are Kumar Madassery, MD, FSIR
“We take on 99% of everything that’s out there, from PAD to aortic care to complex critical limb ischemia, oncology, Y-90, pain procedures. We have robotics, we have histotripsy. You name it.” —Kumar Madassery, MD, FSIR
“That number is going to go up to 32 and then 37 in the next 2 years,” Dr. Arslan said. “With so many personnel available on site, we started a night call, so we now have 24-hour in-hospital coverage in our program.”
Following the Rush IR roadmap Dr. Arslan believes all academic IRs in the United States can follow the same model.
First you need infrastructure, operations, faculty, education and research. “If you want to look for a good role model,” he said, “don’t look at your institution’s radiology department. Look at the surgical departments, because they’re the ones bringing in the same kind of
22 IRQ | FALL 2025
revenue and providing patients with the same kind of care as you will.”
When approaching your hospital administrators, come armed with the clinical volume and financial contribution data—as an IR, not as another part of the radiology department. To make a compelling proposal, you’ll also need to understand and align yourself with the institution’s strategic goals and priorities.
According to Dr. Arslan, it is also important to engage with the DR leadership on the transition in a collaborative, friendly way.
“Ask them, ‘Isn’t it better to have two people representing both DR and IR and
forming and IRs in smaller hospitals are functioning as an independent department rather than part of radiology, so it is happening in nonacademic environments,” he said. “It’s a little more difficult in academic environments because of all the bylaws, boards, etc. but I hope our roadmap helps others find a way.”
The only remaining challenge in the new IR department? “I think it’s me,” Dr. Arslan admits. “As the chair, I need to do so much of the administrative work, and there’s obviously so much more now that we’re a department. It’s hard, because I don’t want to give up patient care. But I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished, and I look forward to seeing how much more we will grow—and inspire others to—in the years ahead.”
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