OUR MISSION
The Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation (FUSF) was founded as a catalyst to
compress the time between technology development and the treatment of patients,
develop new applications and accelerate the
worldwide adoption of MR-guided focused ultrasound
surgery.
OUR RATIONALE
The rationale is that in the value chain of
development of this technology from concept
to ubiquitous adoption, there are a number
of activities that this organization can engage
in that will supplement and complement those
performed by system vendors, and thereby compress
the timeframe to helping millions of people.
PRIMARY ACTIVITIES
The Foundation will engage in three primary
activities: education, translational and clinical
research, and the creation of a network of research
and development centers.
Education
The education of both clinicians and patients is critical to the adoption of MR-guided
focused ultrasound surgery in clinical practice and as a standard of care. To that end, the
Foundation will:
| • |
Fund fellowships
to train surgeons, radiologists, and
radiation oncologists and other specialists
in the new discipline of focused ultrasound
surgery. |
| • |
Sponsor training
courses for physicians, conferences, symposia, and
workshops. |
| • |
Provide on-line
media in the form of a library, website,
blog, and newsletter, as well as a
forum for patients to communicate with
other patients, and a forum for physicians
to
communicate with other physicians via
the internet. |
| • |
Establish standards for training, competencies, and credentialing. |
| • |
Undertake programs to increase awareness among patients, physicians, regulatory
agents, and payors. |
Research
MR-guided focused ultrasound surgery is in its infancy, comparable to the stage where
computer tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were 30 years ago. In order to help
the technology reach its full potential for improving lives, the Foundation will:
| • |
Be involved with
designing, organizing, and conducting
pre-clinical and clinical studies in
a collaborative, site independent manner
through a network of investigators,
facilities, and funding sources. |
| • |
Support a forum
whereby investigators can communicate
results of studies on temporaneously
with other investigators. |
| • |
Maintain a registry
of treated patients. |
| • |
Maintain an inventory
of research projects. |
| • |
Serve as a coordinating center for clinical trials. |
Build a Collaborative Community
The successful development and adoption of MR-guided focused ultrasound surgery
requires that the Foundation help build bridges across traditional boundaries of organizations
and medical specialties. To achieve this goal, the Foundation will:
| • |
Create a network
of research and development centers
that will facilitate boundary-less collaboration
between investigators and facilities. |
| • |
Facilitate the
creation of centers of excellence. |
| • |
Build a closely related network of commercial sites to help develop and share
best practices, address common issues such as reimbursement, and identify new
clinical applications. |
OTHER ACTIVITES
| • |
Promote the formation
of a Focused Ultrasound Surgery Society
with an associated journal. |
| • |
Facilitate the
creation of a patient support organization. |
| • |
Work with the clinical
societies, hospitals and patients to
facilitate reimbursement. |
| • |
Create an association
of non-academic MRgFUS sites to foster
best practices, address issues such
as reimbursement, and identify new clinical
applications that require research and
development. |
| • |
Provide expertise
in intellectual property and regulatory
issues. |
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