ACR Opposes Expanding B Reader Certification to Nonphysicians

The American College of Radiology® (ACR®) objected to nurse practitioner and physician assistant eligibility for B Reader certification in its response Feb. 26 to a request for information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). B Readers are physicians certified by NIOSH to classify chest radiographic images of workers exposed to coal mine dust, crystalline silica or asbestos for pneumoconiosis surveillance programs. ACR administers a leading B Reader certification training course.

The College noted that the primary challenge is the lack of an organized system for distributing and tracking cases, not the inability of physician B Readers to meet demand. ACR urged improvements to matchmaking, guidelines and incentives, and recommended other ways for NIOSH to modernize the program and support physician participation. The College also warned against reductions in quality, consistency and accuracy if certification requirements were revised to enable non-physician eligibility, stating the certification is based on a foundation of specialist physician-level training and experience.

ACR’s comments were informed by feedback from certified B Readers about their relevant workloads, technological ability to expand access and program perspectives. The College is sharing lessons learned from the B Reader community with other medical organizations that are considering or in the process of filing comments.

For more information or if you have questions, contact Michael Peters, ACR Senior Director, Government Affairs.