Technologist Session Business Meeting/Scientific Award Ceremony
Be sure to attend the SNMTS Annual Business Meeting at the conclusion of the technologist educational program at the SNM Annual Meeting which will be held this year, June 21–25, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, LA. SNMTS President Frances K. Keech, RT(N), MBA, will report on the current status and future direction of the SNMTS. Other highlights will include presentation of Technologist Section awards and the installation of Lyn M. Mehlberg, BS, CNMT, FSNMTS, as new SNMTS President. The business meeting will be held in Room 284 on Tuesday, June 24, from 4:15 pm to 5:45 pm.
PET Learning Center Expands
April 2003 marked the 1-year Anniversary of the SNM’s PET Learning Center (PLC). We appreciate the support from our many industry partners who have provided hardware, software, and educational grants to assist SNM in launching this educational activity. Because the need for well-trained practitioners remains high and access to PET experts is limited, SNM has expanded the types of courses that will be taught in the PLC this year.
Several new workshops will be incorporated into the teaching schedule as early as this summer to address the 3-month waiting list that has developed. These include a 1-day Cardiac-PET course, a 1-day PET/CT workshop, and an advanced version of the current PET workshop. To help, Paul Christian, CNMT, PhD, and Jennifer White, CNMT, have joined the PET LC faculty.
The SNM PET LC offers a learning experience that is currently unmatched in the nuclear medicine community. The small courses allow participants to interact with leading PET experts one-on-one. They can discuss challenging cases on the weekend and apply new knowledge in their workplace Monday morning. The SNM is currently seeking industry partners to help expand the reach of the PET LC so that more physicians and technologists can benefit from this unique learning opportunity.
Application for NMTCB Director
The Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board is seeking applicants to serve on the Board of Directors. This is an excellent opportunity to become involved in one of the more challenging and important areas of your profession—establishing standards of professional competency. Interested CNMTs should request an application from, and direct any questions to, Dr. Bhaskar Dawadi, executive director, at 800-659-3953 or board{at}nmtcb.org. Completed applications received by August 1, 2003, will be reviewed at the fall meeting of the NMTCB. The 4-year term of office begins January 1, 2004.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS UPDATE
SNM and ACNP on the Hill
On March 13 representatives from the SNM and the American College of Nuclear Physicians (ACNP) went to Capitol Hill to meet with key Senate and House members and their staffs on issues of importance to the nuclear medicine community. On the previous day, SNM/ACNP participants met to outline goals and strategies in a planning session with their government relations consultant, the law firm of Arent Fox. At that meeting, nuclear medicine issue fact sheets were reviewed and approved and talking points were prepared for the next day.
Participants in the planning meeting and legislative visits were Michael Gelfand, MD; Henry Royal, MD; Mathew Thakur, PhD; Gary Dillehay, MD; Simin Dadparvar, MD; and Jeffry Siegel, PhD. Virginia Pappas, CAE, executive director of the SNM; William Uffelman, JD, SNM general counsel; Robert Waters, JD, partner at Arent Fox; and other staff from Arent Fox also participated in the meetings and visits. The group agreed on the importance of emphasizing the following points:
The SNM and ACNP are the preeminent organizations for Homeland Security when dealing with radiation-related issues such as “dirty bombs” and patient management in radiation-related events. Members of Congress should rely on nuclear medicine professionals as key contacts.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval process for new diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals remains cumbersome and expensive. Radiopharmaceuticals have an unparalleled safety record, and the 1997 Food and Drug Modernization Act mandated an appropriate approval process. Because the FDA has taken no action, Congress should act.
The FDA Medical Imaging Drugs Advisory Committee should be reestablished to advise the FDA on radiopharmaceutical applications.
Funding should be reinstated for the Advanced Nuclear Medicine Initiative at the Department of Energy and a revolving fund created to provide radioisotopes for research.
The Consumer Assurance of Radiologic Excellence (CARE) Act, requiring state licensure of nuclear medicine technologists and other professionals involved in radiologic imaging and therapy, should be encouraged and supported through passage and enactment.
On Capitol Hill, the SNM and ACNP representatives met with Representative William Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ); Senate Environment and Public Works Counsel Mary Katherine Ishee; Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Health Counsel Steve Irizarry; and the staffs of Representa-tives Frank Pallone (D-NJ), SherrodBrown (D-OH), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Ted Strickland (D-OH), and Deborah Pryce (R-OH) and of Senators Arlen Specter (R-PA), Bill Frist (R-TN), and Jim Talent (R-MO) to discuss nuclear medicine issues. Members of Congress and staff were attentive and interested and promised to take action.
Follow-up activities are planned in cooperative efforts with nuclear medicine industry leaders and other scientific organizations.
CARE Act Reintroduced
The CARE Act was reintroduced into the House of Representatives as HR 1214 on March 11 by Representative Heather Wilson (R-NM). The CARE Act was referred to subcommittee on March 17. The SNM and ACNP have asked members of the nuclear medicine community to write Congress and urge additional cosponsorship of HR 1214 and introduction of the CARE Act in the Senate. A sample letter to Congressional representatives is provided on the SNM Web site at www.snm.org/policy/care_act_032003.html.
Current co-sponsors, their states and congressional districts, include:
Rep. Spencer Bachus, (AL-6)
Rep. Lincoln Davis, (TN-4)
Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr. (TN-2)
Rep. Harold E. Ford, Jr. (TN-9)
Rep. Barney Frank, (MA-4)
Rep. Jay Inslee, (WA-1)
Rep. Steve Israel, (NY-2)
Rep. Dale E. Kildee, (MI-5)
Rep. King Peter T., (NY-3)
Rep. William O. Lipinski, (IL-3)
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, (NY-4)
Rep. Tom Osborne, (NE-3)
Rep. Donald M. Payne, (NJ-10)
Rep. Earl Pomeroy, (ND)
Rep. James T. Walsh, (NY-25)
Rep. Melvin L. Watt, (NC-12)
VOICE BOX
The Education Department staff receives many inquiries regarding CE requirements, CE credit, and transcript updates. Here are some of the key questions we receive on a daily basis.
Q: What CE credits are tracked by SNMTS?
A. The SNMTS tracks all Category A approved credits. The organizations and state agencies recognized by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologist (ARRT) to approve programs and activities for Category A credit are the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT), the American College of Radiologists (ACR), the American Healthcare Radiology Administrators (AHRA), the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (CAMRT), the Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM), the Society of Vascular Ultrasound (SVU), and the states of Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Oregon, and Texas.
Q: Do I need to keep back-up documentation from a VOICE approved activity for my records?
A. When you participate in a SNMTS VOICE approved activity, always make sure you have documentation from the sponsor before you leave. Your backup documentation is critical because it verifies the information on your transcript. If you get audited by your hospital, state, or the ARRT, etc., the SNMTS transcript may not be enough. Maintaining backup documentation for your files will assure that you have all the documentation you need in the event you are audited.
Q: Do I need to include my member number on documentation that is sent to SNMTS?
A. Yes! including your SNMTS Membership number on all documentation sent to our office assists staff in expediting your inquiry or concern.
Q: I attended an AMA PRA course. Can the course be added to my transcript?
A. According to SNMTS VOICE Guidelines, AMA PRA courses are not eligible for VOICE credit. SNM will not add these course to SNMTS transcripts. As of January 2003, the ARRT will not accept AMA PRA courses for Category A credit.
Q: If I fax or take the online JNM/JNMT CE examinations, should I mail it?
A. Please don’t mail or fax your JNM/JNMT CE examinations. Doing so may result in the credit appearing on your transcript more than once.
Q. I participated in a JNM/JNMT CE examination. How long will it take to add the examinations to my transcript?
A. If you took the examination online, it usually takes up to 4 days for staff to place the results on your transcript. If you mail or fax the examination, you should allow 2 weeks.
Q: What is the cost of examinations for nonmembers?
A: Nonmembers pay $10 for JNMT examinations and $15 for JNM examinations.
Q: Can a CPR class be added to my transcript?
A. SNM grants VOICE credits for Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) courses. If you take the ACLS course and submit proof of attendance and a copy of the certificate, the CE credit will be added to your VOICE transcript.
—Jannine Jordan
SNM Continuing Education Manager
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