Radiologist Assistant: State Action Update
State radiological societies continue to be at the forefront in working with the ACR on the radiologist assistant (RA) issue. The Ohio Radiological Society plans to introduce RA legislation soon. The Illinois Radiological Society hopes introduce the RA into state regulations.
Tennessee, Mississippi, and Florida have passed RA laws. The Tennessee law allows the state medical board to define the scope of practice of the RA and requires that these rules must be consistent with guidelines adopted by the ACR, ASRT, and ARRT.
The RA must be certified by the state board of medical examiners and certified and registered with the ARRT. Finally, it removes the term of a radiologist practitioner assistant (RPA) and replaces it with the designation of the RA. In Mississippi the ACR was successful in working with the Mississippi Radiological Society and the ASRT to pass similar legislation.
The Florida Radiological Society recently passed a bill through the legislature. The legislation incorporates RAs into the Radiological Personnel Certification Act. The bill adds the RA to the Advisory Council on Radiation Protection, a body that oversees the practice of radiology.
An RA is an advanced–level radiologic technologist who works under the direct supervision of a radiologist to enhance patient care by assisting the radiologist in a diagnostic imaging environment.
The RA is equipped with the skills and knowledge to perform a number of procedures. The RA does not interpret medical images. The RA is a graduate of an academic program (baccalaureate or higher) that teaches an RA curriculum endorsed by the ACR and the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT). Graduates of these programs are allowed to sit for the RA certification examination administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT).
The ACR does not recognize the radiologist practitioner assistant (RPA) designation. The primary differences between a radiologist assistant and a radiology practitioner assistant lie in educational curriculum, the certification examination, and scope of practice. The ACR continues to serve as a resource in this area by working with the state societies to pass meaningful RA legislation.
Click Here if you would like more information on the RA, as well as model state legislation.
For assistance on implementing state legislation on the RA, please contact Ariel Gonzalez at (703) 715-3488 or at agonzalez@acr.org.