DR. WHO
(continued from page 35)
moment without changes and advances. He explained that when
he started in the radiology field in 1983, imaging was not nearly as
important as it is today. Now, when people come to the ER, they are
almost always imaged in some way. “What I’ve learned over the years
is that imaging studies, and interpreting them, are more important
now than ever. Helping the clinician figure out what’s wrong with
the patient is what gives me the most satisfaction.”
With a more than 30-year career under his belt, he feels privileged
to have been able to see so many changes in imaging. Radiology
imaging has gone from hung film, to picture archiving communi-
cation systems (PACS), to digital and computerized records.
“I’ve seen the golden age of imaging during my time,” he said.
“Over the last 30 years, I’ve seen it change. When I was a medical
student, I never really was exposed to it. When I got up to Indi-
anapolis, I saw so much. I didn’t even consider radiology when I
was a student. Later, I just could not believe what was going on.”
With all of the advances in radiology over the years, he finds it
crucial to surround himself with other physicians in the field. He
was the Chairman of the Department of Radiology at Norton from
2006-2017 and was also the president of the medical staff at Norton
in 2013. “I enjoyed not only the professional relationships I devel-
oped with physicians, but I also developed a lot of friendships and
relationships with administrators,” he said. “Norton Healthcare is
doing a tremendous job with our community and I am really proud
to be associated with them.”
While he values those professional relationships immensely, even
more important to him is his bond with his family. His two girls
have four grandkids between them (with another on the way) and
he loves spending time with them more than anything. He plans to
retire in 2021, which will allow him time with the grandkids while
they are still young.
When speaking with Dr. Burger, one can sense in just minutes,
his humility and gratitude for those around him—his wife, daugh-
ters and grandchildren, and his colleagues and his team. On many
occasions, he referenced how crucial they all are to his success.
“Health care and patient care is a team effort. There are many
different parts to the team, many different people,” he said. “Each
of us has our jobs. That includes environmental services, transport,
all the way up to the chief administrative officer—and everybody
in between. Technologists, nurses, aides, everyone has a job. That’s
what it’s all about.”
Kathryn Vance is the Communication Specialist at the Greater Louisville Medical
Society.
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