SNMMI Adopts New Strategic Plan

Munir Ghesani

For more than 50 years, SNMMI has successfully educated professionals, policymakers, and the general public about nuclear medicine and molecular imaging. Advances in the field have signaled an expansion of the profession and its ability to contribute to improved health outcomes, necessitating that SNMMI leaders examine the society’s long-range future. This past spring the SNMMI leadership did just that, participating in a 1½-day strategic planning session.

To inform the strategic planning session, an environmental assessment was conducted to engage as many voices as possible. The assessment included one-on-one interviews, an external environmental scan, and a survey of 383 members from a wide cross-section of the organization. Board members reviewed and prioritized SNMMI’s strategic opportunities and discussed membership expectations. They also addressed, discussed, and refined SNMMI’s mission and vision statements and identified strategic objectives and initiatives.

With the completion of the strategic planning process, I am pleased to share SNMMI’s new vision and mission statements:

Vision: SNMMI is the leading global organization transforming the science and practice of diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine.
Mission: Empowering our members to transform the science and practice of precision nuclear medicine for diagnosis and therapy to advance patient care.

To support the society’s vision and mission statement, 9 new strategic goals—with corresponding objectives and tactics—have been identified.

Goal 1: Expand integration of best practices in all aspects of nuclear medicine to optimize patient care and access. To achieve this goal, SNMMI will work toward greater inclusion of nuclear medicine in the guidelines of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, increase the number of designated Therapy Centers of Excellence, and incorporate best practices in all aspects of nuclear imaging and therapy.

Goal 2: Attract and engage a diverse, multidisciplinary, and global membership by offering opportunities, services, and resources that anticipate and fulfill members’ needs. Objectives include reimagining the SNMMI membership structure, improving member benefits and services, improving membership communication, and increasing the society’s brand awareness. The society will also build a forward-thinking leadership and career development program and improve the diversity and inclusiveness of SNMMI volunteer opportunities.

Munir Ghesani, MD

Goal 3: Ensure high-quality, focused, needs-based education for all segments of the profession that is easily accessible and documentable to increase utilization. This goal will be achieved by increasing utilization of educational resources for both members and nonmembers.

Goal 4: Accelerate discovery, research, and translation in nuclear medicine and molecular imaging through funding, education, and support for professionals. SNMMI will work to increase research funding and its infrastructure for research, as well as education, training, and mentorship for research personnel. The society will lead multicenter clinical trials through the SNMMI Clinical Trials Network and Therapy Clinical Trials Network and enhance research on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and deep learning, among other objectives.

Goal 5: Ensure that patients and the medical community recognize the value of nuclear medicine, molecular imaging, and radionuclide therapy. This goal will be achieved by educating patients, referring physicians, and other medical societies about radiopharmaceutical therapies. SNMMI will also expand outreach at the regional, local, and institutional levels; increase awareness among health care administrators; and promote media coverage of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging.

Goal 6: Sustain and grow a diverse and qualified workforce that is prepared for current and future diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine needs to provide equitable care. SNMMI will analyze and assess workforce needs, showcase the field as a thriving career path, and foster the growth, value, and diversity of early career nuclear medicine and molecular imaging professionals. SNMMI will also ensure that nuclear medicine and molecular imaging programs have the necessary informational resources to be successful.

Goal 7: Position SNMMI to address the rapidly changing needs of the profession and members. SNMMI will review its organizational structure and core membership offerings, as well as those of outside organizations. The society will develop a sustainable organizational model considering SNMMI membership priorities, staffing, and fiscal health.

Goal 8: Engage stakeholders to develop, promote, implement, and sustain policies to ensure equitable patient access to appropriate nuclear medicine procedures. Objectives for this goal include working closely with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, legislators, and private payers to advocate on reimbursement and patient access issues and educating stakeholders about changes to relevant public policy requirements. SNMMI will leverage coalitions to advocate for issues of mutual interest and focus on state level advocacy, in addition to other objectives.

Goal 9: Ensure that the Annual Meeting remains relevant by continuously reimagining the meeting in ways that meet the changing needs of the nuclear medicine and molecular imaging community. This goal will be achieved by creating a 3-year plan to reimagine the meeting, creating meaningful networking opportunities, and introducing innovative programming.

We look forward to working with members from all areas of the field on this new strategic plan. Together we can transform the science and practice of diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine.