A total of 46 radiologists have been elected to the regional unions of health professionals (Les Unions Régionales des Professionnels de santé, URPS) for 2021. The election involving seven specialty colleges and unions took place earlier in April, with new union Avenir Spé representing a large percentage of the vote.
France's union of private radiologists (FNMR) has stated that the results reveal the desire of specialists to be represented with regard to policy decisions, and point to the importance of the elections for radiology.
Regionally, the medical URPS acts as the link between the private doctors and the regional health agencies. For example, it is within this framework that the radiologists elected to the URPS defend the authorization requests for heavy equipment submitted to regional authorities and support the organization of teleradiology as well as imaging during the pandemic, the union noted. Meanwhile, at the national level, the results determine the extent of representation for private doctors.
In a statement released on 8 April, the FNMR pledged support to these representative unions as they work to negotiate changes in the definitions of medical acts and their tariffs, and also the future medical convention.
The FNMR also called on them to support all specialties, including radiology.
"The result of the 2021 URPS elections will allow specialists, and radiologists in particular, to be strongly defended to avoid a new period of continuous tariff cuts and to restore specialties to their full role in the organization of care. Our specialty has too often been used as a budget adjustment variable for the ministries and the national medical insurance fund (Caisse Nationale d'Assurance Maladie, CNAM)," the union stated.
