Adding value to health care: where radiologists may contribute.

National health care reform and scrutiny on rising health care costs have created a climate in which health care providers must improve the value, or quality per cost, of patient care. Radiology in particular is at an important crossroads given the heavy use of imaging and the associated large percentage of health care expenditures. At this critical juncture, it is important for radiologists to take responsibility for delivering the highest possible value of imaging and actively contribute to institutional and national solutions for providing the highest valued patient care. Only with such active participation will radiologists be able to illustrate our role as an important cornerstone for health care delivery and secure our positions as decisive members of the health care team.