Intro:
With the momentum of the CARE Bill now in progress imaging
professionals that are non-certified that are currently scanning
technologists need to be aware that they will need certification to
work as an allied healthcare professional in their respective
modality. If they want to work as MRI technologists they will need
to be certified once this legislation becomes a federal mandate. The
SMRT is a strong supporter of CARE Bill and a member of the Alliance
for Quality Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (AQMIRT). AQMIRT
is a coalition of 26 national organizations representing more than a
half million healthcare professionals that support the CARE bill.
Current updates on the CARE Bill can be accessed at:
https://www.asrt.org/content/GovernmentRelations/_legislativeregulatory.aspx
Certification:
Over 25,000 MRI technologists are certified by the American Registry
of Radiological Technologists ® (ARRT), the world’s largest
credentialing organization. There are two methods by which
professionals can become certified by the ARRT.
- Primary Pathway: If you have no
allied health care background— within the past
five
years have successfully completed an
educational program
that is
accredited by a mechanism acceptable to the ARRT you can
apply for the ARRT MRI certification exam. Before enrolling into
an educational program ensure that the program has been
accredited by the ARRT. Beginning on January 1, 2015, all
candidates for primary pathway certification must have earned an
academic degree before becoming certified.
https://www.arrt.org/Certification
- Post-Primary: For currently
employed certified technologists, who already hold the primary
ARRT certification/s (thus certified) in Radiography, Nuclear
Medicine, Radiation Therapy, or Sonography can consider this
path by completing the Magnetic Resonance Imaging Clinical
Experience Requirements.
https://www.arrt.org/Certification/Magnetic-Resonance-Imaging
There is a second certifying
organization in the United States - The American Registry of
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists (ARMRIT)
http://www.armrit.org/index.shtml. This organization has been
gaining recognition and uses its own MRI educational schools with
programs which range from 1 year up to 2 years (Associates Degree).
Licensing:
There are a just handful of states that actually require state
licensing in order to work as a MRI Technologist. The American
Society of Radiological Technologists (ASRT) provides more
information on their website at:
https://www.asrt.org/media/pdf/govrel/doesyourstateregulate.pdf.
Certifying organizations such as the ARRT and ARMRIT are recognized
as approved certifying bodies in most states to apply for state
licensure. More info on state licensing can be found at:
https://www.arrt.org/State-Licensing/
Accreditation:
For all outpatient imaging facilities in the US, effective January
1, 2012, all providers that bill for CT, MRI, Nuclear Medicine and
PET under part B of the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule must be
accredited in order to receive technical component reimbursement
from Medicare (Currently, the CMS/MIPPA mandates apply to private
outpatient facilities only, NOT to hospitals). It is highly
recommended that the requirements for the MRI technologist’s
performing the studies at your facility be reviewed. There are 3
approved accreditation organizations:
- American College of Radiology (ACR)
http://www.acr.org/accreditation/mri.aspx
- Intersocietal Accreditation
Commission (IAC)
http://www.icamrl.org/icamrl/index.htm
- The Joint Commission
http://www.jointcommission.org/accreditation/ahc_seeking_imaging_centers.aspx
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