The spring meeting of the JRCNMT was held April 16–17, 2010, in Nashville, TN. During the meeting, the board of directors reviewed requests for over 100 personnel and program changes submitted by 35 programs. The board approved 2 requests for inactive status and 3 requests for voluntary withdrawal of accreditation due to program closure. Also assessed were interim reports from 16 accredited programs, 1 request for initial accreditation, and 11 applications for the addition of clinical affiliates.
ACCREDITATION ACTIONS
Extended accreditation was granted to the following nuclear medicine technology programs:
Prince George's Community College, Largo, MD (resurvey, 2014)
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA (resurvey, 2013)
University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey, Scotch Plains, NJ (resurvey, 2014)
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare System, Memphis, TN (resurvey, 2012)
Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, Milwaukee, WI (resurvey, 2014)
The committee will review 19 nuclear medicine technology programs seeking continued accreditation in 2011. Written third-party testimony may be submitted to the JRCNMT regarding any nuclear medicine technology program undergoing review. Persons wishing to present third-party oral testimony at a board meeting must submit a written request. Third-party testimony, written or oral, must be limited to compliance of the educational program with the Essentials and Guidelines for an Accredited Educational Program for the Nuclear Medicine Technologist.
The following programs are undergoing review in 2011:
Santa Fe College, Gainesville, FL
Armstrong Atlantic State University, Savannah, GA
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Boston, MA
Salem State College, Salem, MA
UMASS Memorial Healthcare/Worcester State University, Worcester, MA
Research Medical Center, Kansas City, MO
University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
SUNY at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, OH
Wyoming Valley Health Care System Hospital, Wilkes-Barre, PA
University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Center, San Juan, PR
Midlands Technical College, Columbia, SC
University of Tennessee Medical Center at Knoxville, Knoxville, TN
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
Del Mar College, Corpus Christi, TX
Houston Community College, Houston, TX
Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI
POLICY CHANGES
The Administrative Probationary Accreditation section of JRCNMT Policy 1.400 was amended and approved by the Board of Directors with an effective date of January 1, 2011. The relevant section of the policy is below with new content underlined. The fee to rescind administrative probationary accreditation is $250.
Administrative Probation may be granted when the program does not comply with one or more of the following administrative requirements for maintaining accreditation:
Submitting the Self-Study Report or a required progress report within a reasonable period of time, as determined by the Review Committee.
Agreeing to a reasonable site visit date at or near the time established for re-evaluation of the program.
Paying annual accreditation fees by April 1 of each year unless special arrangements have been approved through the JRCNMT executive director.
Paying all other accreditation fees and charges within a reasonable period of time, as determined by the Review Committee.
Prior to the JRCNMT placing a program on Administrative Probationary Accreditation, the Review Committee informs the sponsoring institution of the relevant requirements and of its recommendation for Administrative Probationary Accreditation.
The JRCNMT is not required to provide opportunity for reconsideration of recommendations of Administrative Probationary Accreditation. JRCNMT determinations of Administrative Probationary Accreditation are not subject to appeal. During a period of Administrative Probationary Accreditation, programs are recognized and listed as being accredited. A fee, included on the current JRCNMT fee schedule, must be paid to rescind an award of Administrative Probationary Accreditation.
The Board of Directors also approved addition of a $250 self-study deadline extension fee effective January 1, 2011. This fee will be charged to programs requesting a self-study deadline extension without extenuating circumstances and programs for which the self-study is returned and a second deadline issued because the document is incomplete or unsatisfactory.
The final policy change pertains to clinical affiliates of inactive programs, as addressed in Policy 1.400. The section of the policy is below with new content underlined.
IV. Inactive Programs
The sponsoring institution may request inactive status for a program that does not enroll students for up to two years. The program and its sponsoring institution must continue to pay required annual fees.
Clinical affiliates may discontinue their affiliation with the inactive program or adjust student capacities in shared affiliate situations during a program's inactive period. Notification of such changes must go to the Program Director of the inactive program, if one is on staff.
Should a program be inactive for two years and not be reactivated, it will be considered discontinued and accreditation will be withdrawn.
Anyone wishing to comment on any of the proposed policy changes may do so by submitting written comments to the JRCNMT no later than October 31, 2010. Comments will be reviewed at the fall 2010 board meeting.
2010 FALL MEETING
The next meeting of the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology is scheduled for November 5–6, 2010, in Oklahoma City, OK.