2010 Medical Imaging, Radiation Therapy Advisory Committee Summary Promotes Questions In 2011

            In 2009, the state of New Mexico enacted a law updating and revising the current educational standards and licensure requirements for imaging professionals and radiation therapists, by including licensure standards for magnetic resonance imaging technologists and sonographers, and adding these imaging specialties to the existing licensure provisions for radiographers, radiation therapists, nuclear medicine technologists, limited x-ray machine operators and radiologist assistants.

            Even though the law has been enacted and signed by the governor, the development of regulations to put these licensure programs into effect are still under development by the New Mexico Department of Environmental Protection and the new Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Advisory Board that replaces the old radiologic technology advisory committee. A good analogy to use is that an enacted law (statute) is the skeleton and the regulations specifying how the licensure program works is the muscle. Until the regulations are in place the law is unenforceable and not yet in effect.

            On December 2, 2010 ASRT representatives traveled to Las Cruces to attend the Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Advisory Council, (MIRTAC) meeting at Dona Ana Community College. Attending this meeting with ASRT were representatives from the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT), Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS), American Registry of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists (AMRIT) and even a representative for New Mexico’s Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA). However there were no representatives present from the New Mexico Society of Radiologic Technologists to discuss the effects of the new law and regulations that will govern the practice of R.T.s in the state. The certified registered nurse anesthetists in New Mexico sent a lawyer to this meeting and asked to be exempt from the laws regulating the use of ionizing radiation. The New Mexico CRNAs have also worked with Senator Howie Morales from Silver City to introduce a bill, S.B. 336 in the current New Mexico legislature allowing an exemption for CRNAs to use fluoroscopy without additional education in radiation protection.

            The MIRTAC was resolute during the December meeting that this would not be a recommendation they would be moving forward to the State of New Mexico Radiation Control Bureau. However, if a law is enacted the MIRTAC must provide this exemption.

The current language in S.B. 336 requires that the state “exempt certified registered nurse anesthetists from Environmental Improvement Board licensure requirements and to exempt from Environmental Improvement Board licensure requirements those certified nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and certified nurse midwives who meet certain imaging education prerequisites.”

            Several motions were approved by the advisory committee during the December meeting. The title listed on the R.T. license certificates will now be “The New Mexico Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Program” with a light blue background. This replaces the older version “Radiologic Technologist Certificate” with the orange and yellow striped background. Language in the regulation will incorporate “ionizing and non-ionizing radiation,” and replace “certification” with “licensure,” and replace “RTAC” with “MIRTAC.” Also the provision to have a choice to reduce the state license biennium to match national certification organizations, such as the ARRT’s biennium, was approved. This choice allows licensees to match their state biennium with a national organization’s biennium by reducing the state’s biennium term.

            Several provisions were not agreed upon by a majority of MIRTAC members and were referred to a subcommittee for further determination and drafting. The commission agreed that another meeting would be scheduled to review these decisions and drafted provisions:

·         Minimum educational and certification requirements for non-ionizing modalities were not determined or agreed upon by a majority of the commission. MRI and diagnostic medical sonography disciplines will be required to be licensed according to the statute. This provision when established will greatly impact those professions practiced in the state, by requiring a level of education for entry, and by requiring which national certification is required.

·         Minimum educational and certification requirements for fusion imaging were not determined either. This provision will determine which national certifications are required to perform hybrid nuclear medicine and computed tomography procedures, and subsequent educational requirements.

            Also discussed but not agreed upon by a majority of the commission, was how to phase in all of the new requirements (to be agreed upon) and when to establish a deadline for compliance.

            The next meeting of the MIRTAC will likely have a profound impact on medical imaging professionals in the State of New Mexico, when these important decisions are agreed upon by the commission and promulgated in regulation.

            If you have questions, comments or concerns please feel free to contact Kevin E. Goodrich, ASRT State Legislative Program Manager at kgoodrich@asrt.org or by calling 800-444-2778 ext 1292.