The American College of Radiology (ACR) Economics and Health Policy Department has selected Ezequiel Silva III, MD, FACR, FSIR, FRBMA, RCC, as the 2023 recipient of the William T. Thorwarth Jr., MD, Award. This honor recognizes individuals who demonstrate outstanding contributions to the field of health policy and economics for radiology.
Silva is the first radiologist to serve as chair of the American Medical Association (AMA)/Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC ), to which he previously served as an ACR advisor and ACR Panel member to the AMA. He is a past chair of the ACR Commission on Economics and a Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute founding board member.
ACR officials say Silva has been a leading voice for safe and effective healthcare before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Silva was an invited presenter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and White House COVID-19 Task Force “Lessons from the Front Lines: COVID-19” series and AMA “Coding for Telemedicine and COVID-19” webinar faculty.
“Dr. Silva has earned the respect and trust of physicians, allied professionals and policymakers, with outstanding collaborative work and contributions to medicine and healthcare economics,” says William T. Thorwarth Jr., MD, FACR, CEO of the ACR. “As a nationally recognized expert in healthcare economics and an exemplary physician, he is a fantastic choice to receive this award.”
Silva is also a member of the Radiology Leadership Institute ACR Health Care Economic Milestones Program faculty and a Journal of the American College of Radiology editorial board member. He has authored or co-authored about 70 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, and more than 50 non–peer-reviewed publications and CME-approved scientific lectures and exhibits.
Silva is a diagnostic and interventional radiologist at South Texas Radiology Group, medical director of radiology at the Methodist Texas Hospital, and adjunct professor at UT-Health Long School of Medicine, San Antonio. He is also a past president of the Texas Radiological Society.
The William T. Thorwarth Jr., MD, Award, established in 2004 by the ACR Commission on Economics, honors members or staff who show excellence in economics and health policy by way of leadership, diplomacy, and integrity. It is not an annual award but is given on a merit basis to individuals who deserve recognition for their efforts relating to economics and health policy.