Fulfilling Our Goals and Creating a Strong Future

Mark Wallenmeyer

Mark Wallenmeyer, MBA, CNMT, RT(N) President, SNMTS

The SNM Technologist Section (SNMTS) has moved into the second year of its 5-y strategic plan. The goals delineated in that plan are strategic actions designed to guide as we address a variety of issues, including education, advocacy, and the positioning of SNMTS as the leader in providing a safe, painless, and noninvasive alternative for diagnosing disease and treating patients.

Briefly, these goals state that…

SNMTS will be the indispensable resource in promoting knowledge exchange, training, and networking for nuclear medicine and molecular imaging.
SNMTS will be a powerful advocate for nuclear medicine and molecular imaging and will promote the highest standard of patient care.
SNMTS will be a leader in educational and credentialing/licensing efforts for imaging specialists.
SNMTS will be recognized as the society that positions technologists within the fields of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging.

How are we doing? I'll let you be the judge as you read through our recent accomplishments.

EDUCATION

The Board of Higher Education in Arkansas approved the educational program for the Nuclear Medicine Advanced Associate (NMAA) position. Barring any setbacks, we anticipate that the first class, which is supported by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, St. Louis University, and the University of Missouri, Columbia, will begin in fall 2009.

In addition to the NMAA, we have developed a new, more comprehensive Bachelor of Science entry-level curriculum to ensure that those beginning their education in nuclear medicine are better prepared. The new curriculum includes CT, MRI, and other molecular imaging modalities. Also introduced this year were the educational resources and board reviews necessary for preparing for the PET and nuclear cardiology certification examinations.

After much anticipation, SNMTS and the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) launched VOICE credit sharing. This new member benefit will allow SNMTS to transmit continuing education credit data directly to the NMTCB—ensuring that credit is reported accurately and on time. SNMTS will be working with the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists during the next year to develop a similar program.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Our international ties are growing stronger. We have extended SNMTS member rates to technologist members of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) and the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (CAMRT) for the 56th annual SNM meeting in Toronto, Canada, June 13–17, 2009.

The SNMTS leadership visited both the South African Society of Nuclear Medicine (SASNM) and the EANM, and we were invited to organize a full-day session at the World Federation of Nuclear Medicine and Biology Congress in South Africa in 2010. We also received invitations to, and will be attending, meetings of the British Society of Nuclear Medicine (BSNM) and the CAMRT. At the SNM annual meeting this summer, we will host a session for international technologists during which a panel will address the challenges technologists face around the world. Some of these challenges include regulatory issues and educational models. Representatives from EANM, CAMRT, SASNM, BSNM, and the Australian/New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine have been invited to attend and participate in the discussion. Continued collaboration with sister international organizations will strengthen the nuclear medicine community worldwide.

ADVOCACY

The Advocacy Committee has worked diligently to ensure passage of the consistency, accuracy, responsibility, and excellence (CARE) legislation. Although it has met with some success, we were disappointed that the Senate committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions neglected to include a critical section enforcing credentialing standards.

The State Health Policy Liaisons have been renamed Key Advocates, because they will work to increase community action on legislative issues related to molecular imaging through advocacy assignments, e-mail updates, and other activities. More recently, SNMTS has been working at the grassroots level to address training issues and inconsistencies.

Last year, more than 15 SNMTS members attended “RT in DC” and helped to take our message to lawmakers. As you know, we have embarked on a historic time in the United States with a new president, Senate, and Congress. We therefore feel an urgency to educate the new administration and incoming legislators about the advances our field has brought to the practice of medicine and the challenges we face. This year, RT in DC is scheduled for April 20–21, and we hope to bring in more than 25 technologist members to meet with various legislators. SNMTS will collaborate with the American Society of Radiologic Technologists to ensure the event's success. We invite you to find out more about how you might get involved.

I believe that as we continue to add flesh and sinew to these goals, our organization will grow and be recognized far and wide as the leader in nuclear medicine technology. I therefore seek your help and support in implementing our mission to improve patient care. I invite you to make it your goal to ensure that SNMTS creates a strong future by advancing molecular imaging and therapy.