The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has named a radiologist along with seven other new members to the task force.
Radiologist Dennis Wulfeck, MD, joins seven other new members who will serve four-year terms. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), appointed the new members.
“The new members possess substantial expertise in reviewing scientific evidence related to the effectiveness and appropriateness of clinical preventive services,” the USPSTF stated. “They bring a breadth and depth of medical knowledge, decades of clinical experience, and intellectual and personal leadership that will benefit the task force and the American people they will serve.”
Dennis Wulfeck, MDUSPSTF
Wulfeck is a diagnostic radiologist and president of the practice board at the Jacksonville, FL-based RadPartners MBB Radiology. He has 33 years of experience in diagnostic imaging and disease detection.
The USPSTF said Wulfeck was appointed for “his expertise in modeling screening approaches and research designs and his experience applying evidence-based recommendations to enhance preventive care.”
The task force consists of 16 volunteer members who are nationally recognized experts in prevention, evidence-based medicine, and primary care. The experts come from various fields of practice and expertise. These include radiology, behavioral health, family medicine, geriatrics, internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and nursing. Nominees for the task force are screened for potential conflicts of interest, according to the USPSTF.
The USPSTF evaluates evidence and issues recommendations on medical topics such as cancer screening, which help determine insurance coverage for preventive services under the Affordable Care Act.
The American College of Radiology (ACR) issued a congratulatory statement to Wulfeck being named to the USPSTF. The college stated it has long advocated for more specialty representation on the USPSTF.
“Dr. Wulfeck brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role, and the college is excited that a radiologist physician will be serving on the task force,” the ACR stated. “ACR strongly encourages radiologists to pursue their interests in public service, including running for elected office, and accepting government advisory and leadership roles in local, state and federal government departments and agencies.”