GE HealthCare, Siemens Healthineers, Philips, and other medical imaging leaders are flocking to an alternative of the Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance for their advocacy needs — the newly formed medical imaging division under Advamed, the Advanced Medical Technology Association.

Bayer, Fujifilm Sonosite, and Hologic have also joined the division, which will take over the federal- and state-level advocacy levied by large and small companies alike around access to and use of medical imaging technologies, radiopharmaceuticals, contrast media, and focused ultrasound devices in U.S. healthcare.

It is already planning to release a revised version of its “Medical Innovation Agenda for the 118th Congress”, which consists of policies and legislative objectives on key topics, including the third-party service providers’ right to repair; cybersecurity; AI; supply chain issues; and FDA medical device user fees.

Overseeing the division will be Peter J. Arduini, president and CEO of GE HealthCare, as chair of the AdvaMed Board of Directors, and Patrick Hope, former executive director of MITA, as executive director of the Medical Imaging Technology division at AdvaMed.

“We need policies that keep pace with innovation while fostering the highest ethical standards that improve patient access to the best care possible,” said Arduini in a statement.

According to Hope and AdvaMed president and CEO Scott Whitaker, the switch from MITA, a division launched in 2007 by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), to the imaging division is not meant to be a “hostile takeover” but a better fit due to the new division being exclusively dedicated to healthcare technology rather than diverse forms of electrical manufacturing.

“For the first time, we will be surrounded by a team, infrastructure, and resources focused entirely on the patients our companies serve,” said Hope.

In a statement, a MITA spokesperson said that while it will “scale down its advocacy services on some medical imaging issues” in the new year, it will continue to serve the medical industry. “NEMA is maintaining its medical imaging division (MITA), with all members retained.”

Since January 2022, Arduini has been president and CEO of GE HealthCare, seeing it through its spin off earlier this year as a separate company from General Electric. The AdvaMed board unanimously elected him to a two-year term, and he will discuss his plans as chair in early 2024.

Hope served as executive director of MITA from 2015 to this year. He previously was senior director of legislative policy for the American College of Cardiology and legislative counsel / senior manager of legislative affairs for the American College of Physicians.

The launch of AdvaMed’s imaging division follows that of its digital health division in October, which will focus on policies around regulations, reimbursement, data privacy, and cybersecurity. Both divisions will have their own mini-boards of directors.

AdvaMed did not respond to HCB News' request for comment in time for publication.

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