Double Green, Recognition of Excellence

VCU Health Radiology Management Credited With Staff Satisfaction and Patient Safety

April 2024 -- Richmond, VA -- Robert Jarvis III, BSRS, RT(R), Associate Director of Radiology Operations, and Michelle Flynn, MBA, CNMT, CRA Imaging Modality Manager, recognized as engagement champions by VCU Health. Each achieved the Double Green status for receiving top tier results on the 2023 Press Ganey Engagement and Safety Survey in both the Team and Leader index scores. Results from the survey help VCU Health improve patient outcomes with better employee engagement.

The Double Green distinction reflects Robert and Michelle’s ability to support their team members through action planning, change management, and process improvement so their team members are equipped to succeed and well prepared to handle any challenge they will face. The two take different approaches to leadership and engagement to achieve long-term readiness, performance, and wellness goals.

According to Ben Roberts, MHA, CRA, RT(R)(MR), Director of Radiology, Transportation Services, and Neurodiagnostics, “The Double Green status is impressive especially during a time that health care is undergoing significant change and ongoing challenges ranging from staffing shortages and increased demand for medical services.”

Michelle, known for her strategic approach to leadership, focuses on innovation within her department. She excels at identifying new opportunities for team members, improving communication, and driving the department toward achieving long-term goals. Her data-driven leadership style emphasizes the importance of metrics, including Press Ganey scores, to track progress and make informed decisions.

“Michelle provides support to all team members and she has facilitated several new initiatives within Nuclear Medicine, including our latest therapy initiative. This is a well-deserved mark of excellence,” commented Jayashree Parekh, MD, MBA, Chair, Division of Nuclear Medicine.

Robert, distinguished by his exceptional interpersonal skills, fosters a positive work environment. He builds strong relationships with his team members and patients, emphasizing empathy and communication. Robert focuses on cultivating a culture of trust and collaboration, leading to high employee engagement and satisfaction. His leadership style is employee-centered where he places high value on feedback and uses it to improve patient care and staff well-being.

“This achievement is not just a mark of excellence; it's a testament to Robert and Michelle’s unwavering commitment to providing outstanding patient care and creating a supportive and fulfilling workplace while navigating the complexities of today’s healthcare environment. Each has found unique ways to connect with their teams personally, leading to highly engaged and patient-centered departments,” noted Ben Roberts.

VCU Health Radiology at Stony Point Earns ACR Prostate Cancer MRI Center Designation

A First in Virginia, VCU Health Radiology at Stony Point Receives Elite Distinction for Safe and Effective Diagnostic Care for Individuals at the Highest Risk for Prostate Cancer.

Richmond, VA - April 2024 - VCU Health Radiology at Stony Point has been designated a Prostate Cancer MRI Center by the American College of Radiology® (ACR®).

The ACR Prostate Cancer MRI Center designation is a voluntary program that recognizes facilities that commit to practice safe, effective diagnostic care for individuals at the highest risk for prostate cancer.

In order to receive this elite distinction, facilities must be accredited by the ACR in the body module, as well as undergo a rigorous assessment of its MRI imaging protocol and infrastructure.

VCU Health is the only health system to achieve the accreditation in Virginia and one of only 65 medical facilities in the United States. 

The ACR, founded in 1924, is one of the largest and most influential medical associations in the United States. The ACR devotes its resources to make imaging and radiation therapy safe, effective and accessible to those who need it. Its 36,000 members include radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists, interventional radiologists and nuclear medicine physicians.

For more information about the Prostate Cancer MRI Center designation, visit: https://www.acraccreditation.org/Prostate-Cancer-MRI-Center

Radiology Resident Wellness in the News

Study shows burnout remains an issue, according to experts with the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

Richmond, VA - March 2024 - Study published in Academic Radiology by Neeraj Lalwani, M.D., DABR, FSAR with second year medical student Aashish Batheja is the subject of a Radiology Business article, "Burnout remains high among radiology residents years after COVID-19 hit." 

“Burnout among radiology residents remains high following the COVID-19 pandemic and is an important issue to address,” Aashish Batheja and Neeraj Lalwani, MD, with VCU’s Department of Radiology, wrote March 19. “While residents offered suggestions for improving work burden, future research is needed to determine which characteristics of work, such as flexibility, pace or case volume, may be associated with burnout,” they added later.

Leading Expert in MRI Safety Speaks at VCU

Richmond, VA - January 2024 - The VCU Health Department of Radiology hosted renowned MRI safety expert Frank G. Shellock, Ph.D., for a lecture entitled, “MRI Safety for Healthcare Professionals.” Shellock’s presentation, sponsored by Bracco Diagnostics, Inc., included basic and advanced information on the important topic of MRI safety and was followed by a Q&A. The virtual and in-person presentation was well-attended and included opening remarks by Dr. Ann Fulcher, chair of the Department of Radiology.

Shellock is a physiologist with nearly 40 years of experience conducting laboratory and clinical investigations in the field of magnetic resonance imaging.  Regularly invited to lecture at national and international scientific and medical conferences and meetings, Shellock is the Director of MRI Safety at the USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute and an Adjunct Clinical Professor of Radiology and Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California.

Photo Courtesy: Kim Christman, VCU Radiology

3 VCU Radiologists Named to Top Docs List

VCU Radiologists named to inaugural list of Virginia’s Top Doctors by Virginia Business

Richmond, VA - January 2024 - More than 10,000 medical professionals throughout Virginia cast their ballots for the first ever 2024 Top Physicians list by Virginia Business. Three VCU Health radiologists are among those named to the list of diagnostic radiology specialists in Virginia:

Ann S. Fulcher, M.D.

Jill M. Bruno, D.O.

Priti Shah, M.D.

Also among the doctors who made the diagnostic radiology specialty list are three VCU Radiology Residency program alumni, Drs. Rakesh Agarwaal, John Kuta, and Janae Johnson, and among the radiology specialty listing are two former radiology residents Dr. Jeff VanderSand and Matthew Doherty.

Virginia Business is a publication dedicated to covering economic activity in every sector, including healthcare, and every region of the state.