Feature
Research rewards
The benefits of private practice research By Melanie Padgett Powers
prestige, the IR specialty and patient care can be substantial.
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The IR team at Radiology and Imaging Specialists in Central Florida has been involved in research for more than a decade. “I felt that we had an obligation to go into research because we do so [many procedures], and we should contribute to the research,” said Fakhir Elmasri, MD, FSIR, founder and president of Lakeland Vascular Institute (one of the Radiology and Imaging Specialists locations) and medical director of the Surgical Center of Central Florida.
24 IRQ | SUMMER 2024
onducting research while working in private practice comes with challenges, but the benefits to practice
Dr. Elmasri pointed out that while private practice physicians are the ones doing procedures, they often rely on academic colleagues to study which treatments are most effective. Being involved in research allows IRs to be at the forefront, using new devices or comparing treatments before final approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
“One of the benefits of being engaged in research is you become an early adopter; you’re plugged in to technology and procedures that are ultimately going to become mainstream,” said Barry T. Katzen, MD, FSIR, founder and chief medical executive emeritus of Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute in Florida,
a part of Baptist Health South Florida, and chief medical innovation officer for Baptist Health. Dr. Katzen has been a national site principal investigator for clinical trials throughout his career.
Dr. Elmasri admitted it was a challenge to land the practice’s first clinical trial because the team didn’t have a history of research trials to prove their capabilities. But then they were selected to test the Denali Filter, which is inserted in the vena cava to prevent recurrent pulmonary embolism. The trial was an investigational device exemption study—a study that allows clinicians to use a device on patients to collect safety and effectiveness data.
The trial had already been underway for 18 months when Dr. Elmasri’s team joined, but despite that, they ended up with the third largest enrollment in the trial. That showcases the power that a large-volume practice can have on research, he said.
Three years ago, the center hired a full- time IR research coordinator because their research volume had grown too large for the IRs and mid-level providers to manage themselves.
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