ARIZONA RADIOLOGICAL SOCIETY
CHAPTER BYLAWS
ARTICLE I - NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Arizona Radiological Society, a Chapter of the American College of Radiology, hereafter sometimes referred to as the "Chapter".
ARTICLE II - PURPOSES
The purposes of the chapter shall be those of the American College of Radiology, hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "College": advancing the science of radiology, improving radiologic service to patients and the medical community, and studying the economics of radiology; the encouragement of improved and continued education for radiologists; and the establishment and maintenance of high medical and ethical standards in the practice of radiology.
ARTICLE III - AFFILIATION
The chapter will be an affiliate of the American College of Radiology. The Code of Ethics of the American College of Radiology, as published in the College's most recent bylaws, is hereby expressly adopted as the ethics of the chapter.
ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP
Section 1
There shall be eight classes of members in the chapter: (1) Active members, (2) Associate Members, (3) Members in Physics, (4) Associate Members in Physics,(5) Members in Training and Members in Training in Physics, (6) Retired or Inactive Members, and (7) Affiliate Members and (8) Member, Introductory and Member In Physics, Introductory.
1. Active Membership. An active member shall:
a. be a physician certified in radiology or one of its recognized branches by the American Board of Radiology, the American Osteopathic Board of Radiology, or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada; or engaged in nuclear medicine on a full-time basis and certified by a specialty board that is a member of the American Board of Medical Specialties or its Canadian equivalent;
b. be of high professional reputation;
c. have the right to be appointed to committees and to hold office in the chapter.
2. Associate Members. An associate member shall:
a. be a physician who is engaged in the practice of radiology on a full-time basis, who has completed an approved residency program in radiology, and who meets all the requirements of active membership except requirement (1) (a) of this Section 1;
b. not have the right to hold office in the chapter;
c. have the right to be appointed to committees.
3. Members in Physics. A member in physics shall:
a. be certified as a physicist by the American Board of Radiology;
b. have the right to be appointed to committees and to hold office in the chapter.
4. Associate Members in Physics. An associate member in physics shall:
a. be a physicist engaged in the practice of radiological physics on a full-time basis, but not certified by the American Board of Radiology;
b. not have the right to hold office in the chapter;
c. have the right to be appointed to committees.
5. Members in Training and Members in Training in Physics. A member in training or a member in training in physics shall:
a. occupy a residency or fellowship in radiology approved by the Council on Medical Education of the American Medical Association or the American Osteopathic Association ( or a formal educational program in medical physics);
b. not have the right to vote or to hold office in the chapter;
c. not be required to pay dues;
d. have the right to be appointed to committees;
e. never have been a member of the chapter before.
f. When members in training or members in training in physics complete training; have been certified by the American Board of Radiology, the American Osteopathic Board of Radiology, or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada; and become members of the ACR, the ACR shall transfer their records to the chapter in the state where they will conduct their principal practice. They will be required to join the chapter
within two years of the date they completed their training. Dues for these members shall be assessed in accordance with Article XI.
6. Retired or Inactive Members.
a. Retired members shall be those active members, associate members, members in physics, associated members in physics, and affiliate members who have retired from active practice because of age or physical disability. Temporarily inactive members shall be those from the above memberships who, for reasons acceptable to the chapter's Executive Committee, are temporarily unable to continue their practice. Retired or temporarily inactive members shall not have the right to vote or to hold committee appointment and shall not be required to pay dues.
b. Inactive members shall also be those members and fellows of the Council of Affiliated Regional Radiation Oncology Societies ( CARROS) Chapter of the American College of Radiology, who, by their own choice, elect not to participate in the activities of the chapter. They are liable for chapter dues, adjusted for deduction of CARROS dues, and are counted for councilor allocation purposes, but shall not have the right to vote, hold office in the chapter, or hold committee appointment.
7. Affiliate Members. An affiliate member shall:
a. be a member in one of the above membership categories who maintains active membership in another chapter that is not in the state where his or her principal practice is conducted, but chooses to have membership in this state chapter;
b. pay dues to both chapters;
c. have the right to vote;
d. have the right to be appointed to committees; and
e. have the right to hold office in the chapter.
8. Member, Introductory and Member-In-Physics, Introductory.
When members in training or members in training in physics complete training and have been certified by the American Board of Radiology, they shall automatically become introductory members of the Chapter. They will not pay dues to the chapter for 18 months but shall have all the benefits of membership. They are not required to join the chapter until their free membership is over unless they choose to join beforehand.
Section 2
Application for any of the classes of membership established in Section 1 of this article shall be in writing on a form provided by the secretary. Application for all classes of membership except retired or temporarily inactive status shall include an agreement to abide by the bylaws of the chapter including the Code of Ethics of the American College of Radiology. An application must be endorsed by two active members of the chapter who shall certify the applicant's qualifications for membership.
If an applicant is refused membership and requests a hearing on the denial of the application, the hearing shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures outlined in Article IV, Section 6, of these bylaws, including a possible report on the action to the National Practitioner Data Bank if the membership denial is based on reasons relating to professional competence or conduct that affects patient health or welfare.
When a member in good standing transfers from this chapter ("old chapter") to a chapter in another state ("new chapter"), the old chapter, after receiving notification from the College of the change, should send a notice of the member's standing in the chapter and his or her original application to the ACR within a reasonable time, not to exceed six weeks.
When a member in good standing of another chapter transfers to this chapter, the ACR sends the member's file to the new chapter. The secretary of the new chapter shall notify the new member in writing that the transfer process has been completed. Chapter dues shall be assessed on a pro-rata basis for the year in which the transfer occurs.
Section 3
Members shall seek retired or temporarily inactive membership status by written request, which may be granted by the Executive Committee.
Section 4
The chapter will act upon applications for chapter membership by mailing a list of qualified applicants to the entire membership at least four times annually at three-month intervals or by publishing this list on a monthly basis in the ACR Bulletin. Applicants who have not generated comment submitted in writing to the chapter secretary within 90 days of the mailing shall be accepted as members of the chapter. Those generating unresolved comment will be nominated for membership at any regular or special meeting of the chapter, and shall, by secret ballot, be elected to membership by a two-thirds majority of those present.
Section 5
Any member of the chapter may resign by submitting a letter of resignation to the chapter secretary.
Section 6
1. The Executive Committee may censure, suspend, or expel any member of the chapter for violation of its rules, regulations, or principles, in accordance with the procedures outlined below.
2. Disciplinary questions related to such violations shall be initially referred,
in writing, to the president of the chapter. The matter shall be referred to the chapter's Committee on Judicial Affairs, which shall investigate the merits of the
charges. On the basis of the findings of this investigation, the Committee on Judicial Affairs shall recommend to the president either that disciplinary action be taken or that no such action be taken. If the Committee on Judicial Affairs decides that disciplinary action should be taken, its recommendation shall be submitted to the president in writing
3. If disciplinary action is recommended by the Committee on Judicial Affairs, the member shall be notified in writing that a professional review action may be taken against him or her and the reasons for the proposed action. The member shall be informed that he or she has the right to request a hearing on the proposed action at any time within 60 calendar days. The member shall be provided with a written summary of his or her rights during the hearing. A member who does not request a hearing within the 60 day period waives the right to such a hearing and shall be deemed to have accepted the recommendation of the committee. The committee's report shall then be forwarded to the Chapter's Executive Committee for ratification, in accordance with Section 9 of this article. If the disciplinary action is based on professional conduct or competence that affects or could affect patient health or welfare, the final decision of the chapter shall be reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank within 15 days. A failure to request a hearing after a complaint has been filed and found to be meritorious will also result in loss of membership in the chapter.
4. If the member requests a hearing on a timely basis, the president of the chapter must give him or her written notice of the time, place, and date of the hearing. The hearing shall take place no earlier than 30 calendar days after the date notice has been sent. Postponements and extensions of the hearing date may be granted by the hearing officer on a showing of good cause. The notice of the hearing shall include the names of witnesses expected to testify.
5. The hearing shall be held before an arbitrator mutually acceptable to the physician and the chapter, a hearing officer appointed by the chapter who is not in direct economic competition with the member involved, or a panel of three active members of the chapter appointed by its Executive Committee who are not in direct economic competition with the member involved. The right to a hearing may be forfeited if the member fails to appear without good cause, and the member shall be deemed to have accepted the disciplinary action involved. If the right is forfeited without good cause, membership in the chapter may be terminated, and a report on the action may be forwarded to the National Practitioner Data Bank.
6. During the hearing, the member has the right to be represented by an attorney or other person of his or her choice; the right to have a record made of the proceedings, copies of which may be obtained by the physician on payment of any reasonable charges associated with its preparation; the right to call, examine, and cross-examine witnesses; the right to present evidence determined to be relevant by the arbitrator, hearing officer, or panel, regardless of its admissibility in a court of law; and the right to submit a written statement at the close of the hearing.
7. Evidence at the hearing should be presented first by the chapter Executive Committee and then by the member. The Executive Committee may then introduce evidence to rebut the member's evidence but may not introduce evidence or issues not previously raised either by the committee or by the member. The complainant shall be entitled to attend the hearing and may be required to testify. Judicial rules of evidence and procedure relating to the conduct of the hearing, the examination of witnesses, and the presentation of evidence shall not apply to a hearing conducted under the terms of these bylaws. The Executive Committee shall bear the burden of persuading the hearing officer or panel by a preponderance of the evidence that the action or recommendation is reasonable and warranted.
8. At the end of the hearing, the member has a right to receive the written recommendation of the arbitrator, hearing officer, or panel, including the basis for the recommendation. He or she also has the right to receive the written decision of the chapter, including the basis for the decision.
9. Ratification of disciplinary action against any member of the chapter shall require the affirmative vote of no less than three-fourths of the membership of the Executive Committee present at the meeting when the action is taken. On ratification by the Executive Committee, the disciplinary action shall be effective and be promptly reported to the Judiciary Committee of the American College of Radiology by the secretary of the chapter. Members against whom disciplinary actions are taken by the chapter may appeal the decision to the Judiciary Committee of the ACR.
10. If no appeal is made within 30 days, a letter containing the final decision shall be prepared by the arbitrator, officer, or panel, with a copy going to the member who is the subject of the disciplinary action. A waiver of the right to appeal shall be deemed to mean that the member has accepted the decision of the chapter. If the disciplinary action is based on professional conduct or competence that affects or could affect patient health or welfare, the final decision of the chapter shall be reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank within 15 days.
11. Before the ACR's Judiciary Committee hears an appeal, it shall notify, by registered or certified mail, the member in question no fewer than 30 calendar days before its meeting that the member may then appear in person or be represented by an attorney or other person of his or her choice to present any arguments that the member believes will show that the disciplinary action should be reversed. If the member fails to appear or send his or her representative to the appeal hearing, then a final report of the chapter's decision shall be sent to the member and forwarded to the state medical board or licensing authority within 15 days in accordance with the regulations of the National Practitioner Data Bank.
12. If a majority of the Judiciary Committee determines that the disciplinary action taken by the chapter against one of its members is supported by the evidence and is the result of fair procedures that are consistent with the Bylaws of the ACR and of the chapter, the Judiciary Committee shall affirm the disciplinary action. If a majority of the Judiciary Committee reverses the disciplinary action, the matter may be remanded in whole or in part for further proceedings or may be completely or partially dismissed.
13. The chapter's Executive Committee and the ACR's Judiciary Committee shall comply with all procedures for reporting adverse professional review actions based on professional conduct or competence that affects or could affect patient health or welfare to the National Practitioner Data Bank.
ARTICLE V - OFFICERS
Section 1
The officers of the chapter shall be a president, secretary-treasurer, the councilors, and alternate councilors.
Section 2
Elections shall be at the annual meeting of the chapter, and the nominee for each office designated in Section 1, who shall receive the majority of votes cast, shall be declared elected. In case no candidate receives a majority, a second ballot shall be taken on the two candidates receiving the greatest number of votes.
Section 3
The Councilors of the American College of Radiology shall have been a former president of this chapter or the previous Arizona Radiological Society.
ARTICLE VI – BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Board of Directors shall be composed of the president, immediate past-president, secretary-treasurer, the councilors, the alternate councilors, and the chairs of standing committees. The Board of Directors shall have general charge of all the business affairs of the chapter.
ARTICLE VII – EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Executive Committee shall be composed of the president, immediate past-president, secretary-treasurer, the councilors, and the alternate councilors and shall have authority to act in the interim between meetings of the Board of Directors upon all matters which would ordinarily require approval by the Board of Directors, and which have not been delegated elsewhere by these bylaws.
ARTICLE VIII - DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES
Section 1
The president shall be the presiding officer of the chapter and shall perform all of the duties which custom and parliamentary practice associate with the office of the president. He or she shall be a member ex-officio of all committees. He or she shall act as chairman of the Executive Committee.
Section 2
In the absence of the president, or in his inability to act, the order of succession to his duties shall be as follows:
Secretary-treasurer, past president, a councilor, an alternate councilor.
Section 3
The secretary-treasurer shall record and preserve the minutes of the proceedings of meetings of the chapter and of the Executive Committee and shall forward promptly to the Executive Committee of the American College of Radiology a copy of the minutes of each meeting of the chapter. He or she shall notify all members of the chapter of their appointments and he or she shall keep a record of the membership of the chapter. He or she shall notify all members as to time and place of meetings and of any special business to be brought before the chapter. He or she shall receive all monies due the chapter and shall disburse such monies. He or she shall make a report of the funds of the chapter at each annual meeting.
Section 4
The president and secretary-treasurer shall serve a term of two years or until their successors are elected and qualified. Their terms of office shall run from January through December.
Section 5
Vacancies occurring in any office shall be filled by action of the Executive Committee. Vacancies occurring in any committee shall be filled by the president.
Section 6
The president shall appoint such committees as are necessary for the proper functioning of the chapter in addition to the following standing committees:
1. Committee on Standards in Radiologic Practice and Medical Insurance.
This committee shall be charged with the duty of assisting members of the chapter in developing arrangements for the proper practice of radiology in accordance with the principles and practices of the American College of Radiology and the principles of Ethics of the American Medical Association. This committee will also relate to third party carriers and refer policy problems to the chapter.
2. Committee on Judicial Affairs. This committee shall consider charges of unethical conduct involving a member of the chapter and shall transmit its recommendations to the Executive Committee of the chapter. The Judicial Affairs Committee shall be composed of three members appointed by the president with the approval of the Executive Committee. Where possible, members of the Executive
Committee shall not be appointed to the Committee on Judicial Affairs.
3. Fellowship Committee. This committee shall annually review the membership of the chapter for the purpose of nominating members to fellowship in the American College of Radiology. Where possible, this committee shall be composed of Fellows of the College. Nominations shall be approved by the Executive Committee, signed by the president or secretary of the chapter, and shall be supported by a minimum of two letters from Fellows of the American College of Radiology, one of whom is not in practice with the nominee, and addressed to the chairman of the Commission on Credentials of the American College of Radiology.
4.Technologist Advisory Committee. This committee shall assist organizations and individuals in projects and programs undertaken to advance radiologic technology after such have been approved by the Executive Committee. They will also be responsible for furnishing names of radiologists to survey educational programs of radiologic technology to the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology.
5. Membership Committee. This committee shall review applications for all classes of membership in the chapter and shall report its recommendations to the Executive Committee at any regular meeting. Recruitment activities shall be generated by this committee.
6. Nominating Committee. This committee shall present to the annual meeting nominations for all offices established in these bylaws and shall when possible consist of three past presidents and two members elected by the chapter who are not members of the Executive Committee.
7. Bylaws Committee. The bylaws committee shall be responsible for periodic review of the bylaws and provide recommended revisions when necessary.
8. Legislative Committee. This committee should anticipate and review legislation proposed in their state that affects the practice of radiology. Their findings shall be reported to the chapter for action.
9. Education and Program Committee. This committee will prepare programs for chapter meetings, socioeconomic workshops for residents, and efforts in continuing education.
10. Physics Committee. The physics committee shall be concerned with matters pertaining to the physics of diagnostic and therapeutic radiology.
11. Radiation Oncology. This committee shall handle all matters pertaining to radiation oncology, including liaison with other groups related to radiation therapy and treatment of patients with ionizing radiation.
12. Marketing Committee. This committee shall be charged with marketing the concept of radiology by radiologists and improving the public identification of the specialty of radiology.
13. Planning Committee. This committee should prepare a three-year activity plan for the chapter and should annually update this written plan to coordinate it with the goals and objectives of the chapter and the college.
NOTE: Each standing committee shall present a written report at the annual meeting.
ARTICLE IX - COUNCILORS AND ALTERNATE COUNCILORS OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGY
Section 1
The chapter shall elect councilors to the Council of the American College of Radiology in such numbers and on the terms authorized by the Bylaws of the College and the rules and regulations of the ACR Council.
Section 2
Election of councilors shall be by ballot at the appropriate annual meeting of the chapter, and the nominee for each vacancy who shall receive a majority of the votes cast shall be declared elected. In case no candidate for a vacancy receives a majority, a second ballot shall be taken on the two candidates for the vacancy receiving the greatest number of votes. For each councilor so elected, the chapter shall elect, by the same procedure, an alternate councilor. Councilors and alternate councilors must be Members or Fellows of the College.
Section 3
The term of office of a councilor shall be three (3) years, or whatever term of office is prescribed in the current Bylaws of the American College of Radiology. He or she may be eligible to succeed himself or herself for one additional term of three (3) years, but shall not be eligible for re-election to additional terms until a lapse of not less than one (1) year; provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Section 3 to the contrary, the terms of any or all of the councilors first elected under this Article 8 may be established at less than three (3) years so as to insure that the terms of one-third, or a number as near thereto as is practicable, of the councilors so elected shall expire each year.
The term of office of an alternate councilor shall be one (1) year; he or she shall be eligible to succeed himself or herself.
An alternate councilor shall be eligible at any time to be elected a councilor for a full three (3) year term.
A councilor or alternate councilor shall take office in conjunction with the adjournment of the annual meeting of the American College of Radiology.
Section 4
The councilor's primary duty is to serve as a representative from the chapter in the Council - the legislative body - of the American College of Radiology.
The duties of councilors shall include attending and participating actively in the meetings of their chapter and of the College; familiarizing themselves with activities and problems at the local and national levels; acting as liaison between their chapter and the College and interpreting each to the other; contributing to both groups' ideas, guidance, and advice; and stimulating preparation of resolutions of their chapter for presentation to the Council.
The councilor shall perform such duties as the chapter may delegate to him or her.
Section 5
The alternate councilor shall help the councilor in the performance of his or her duties and accompany him or her to meetings of the chapter and of the American College of Radiology. The alternate councilor shall prepare himself or herself to act for the councilor whenever necessary.
ARTICLE X - MEETINGS
Section 1
The time and location for the annual meeting of the chapter shall be determined by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee. Notice of the exact time and place of such meeting shall be mailed to the members by the Executive Committee not less than thirty (30) days prior to such date. Additional regular meetings may be scheduled by the Executive Committee, and notice of the time and place thereof shall be mailed to the members by the Executive Committee not less than thirty (30) days prior to any such scheduled meeting.
Section 2
Special meeting of the chapter shall be called: (a) by the president when deemed necessary by the Executive Committee; (b) at the request of the Board of Chancellors of the American College of Radiology; or (c) by petition of one-third of the voting members in good standing or by ten (10) such members, whichever is less. Notice stating the time, place, and purpose of the meeting shall be mailed to each member at least twenty-one (21) days prior to the meeting. At a special meeting, no business may be transacted except that for which such special meeting was called.
Section 3
A quorum shall consist of the majority of voting members of the chapter present.
Section 4
The following shall be the order of business at all regular meeting of the chapter:
1) Call to order.
2) Reading of the minutes of previous meeting of the chapter and the meetings of the Executive Committee.
3) Report of the secretary-treasurer.
4) Report of the Membership Committee.
5) Election of new members.
6) Report by the president as chairman of the Executive Committee.
7) Report of the Committee on Standards in Radiologic Practice and Medical Insurance.
8) Report on Committee on Judicial Affairs.
9) Other committee reports.
10) Communications.
11) Unfinished business.
12) New business.
13) Report of councilors.
14) Report of Nominating Committee.
15) Election of officers.
16) Adjournment.
ARTICLE XI - STANDING RULES
Sturgis' Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure shall be the authority governing all business meetings of the chapter, unless otherwise provided in these bylaws.
ARTICLE XII - DUES AND ASSESSMENTS
All active and associate members, members in physics, associate members in physics, affiliate members, and inactive members who are members of the CARROS chapter, shall pay dues in an amount based upon a budget prepared by the Executive Committee and approved by the members at the annual meeting. Members in training, members in training in physics, retired, and temporarily inactive members shall not pay dues.
Following the completion of training, members in training and members in training in physics shall not be assessed for dues during the remainder of the billing cycle in which they complete their training and for the next complete billing cycle.
Assessments of dues-paying members may not be levied except upon recommendation of the Executive Committee and by a majority vote at the annual meeting of the chapter, notice of such recommendation having been sent to each such member no fewer than thirty (30) days prior to the meeting.
Names of members in arrears in payment of dues or assessments shall be referred to the Executive Committee for action.
ARTICLE XIII- AMENDMENTS
Section 1
Amendments to these bylaws may be made at any regular meeting of the chapter by the favorable concurrence of two-thirds of the members present and voting, provided the proposed amendments shall have been presented in writing to the Executive Committee at least forty-five (45) days prior to the meeting at which the proposed amendments are to be voted upon. The Executive Committee shall notify the members by mail of proposed amendments not less than thirty (30) days prior to such a meeting.
Section 2
Any amendment so adopted shall not be contrary to requirements for chapter status in the American College of Radiology. This conformity shall be established before such amendments shall be added to the bylaws of the chapter.
ARTICLE XIV - ADOPTION OF BYLAWS
These bylaws were adopted at the regular annual meeting of the Arizona Radiological Society held in Phoenix, Arizona on April 30, 1977, and replace all previous Constitutions, Bylaws, and their amendments of this organization.
These bylaws were amended at annual meetings of the chapter in December 1983, December 1985, November 1993, November 1995, November 2000, and December 2006.