A Focus on Quality, Credentialing, and Standards

April Mann

April Mann, MBA, CNMT, NCT, RT(N), FSNMMI-TS

It has been an incredible honor to serve as president of SNMMI-TS. The year has flown by, and through the efforts of many, it has been a year of major progress toward the goals and objectives outlined in our strategic plan.

The multiyear SNMMI-TS Quality Initiative has been a key focus of our efforts as we strive to ensure that technologists have the tools to provide the highest-quality patient experience. At the 2015 annual meeting, we will further explore ways to strengthen our campaign to enhance the quality of care and demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of nuclear medicine. Working with industry and organization partners, we are demonstrating and providing quality through education and training, advocacy, awareness, and outreach.

The SNMMI-TS Quality Initiative complements SNMMI’s larger effort. The society has established an Evidence and Quality Department and committees focused specifically on quality measures. This step is essential because the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will be using a quality system focused on evidence-based patient outcomes and patient satisfaction for reimbursement and education, from competency to recertification. Further, several states have mandated the reporting of specific measures, and many other quality initiatives are being used by private payers as an efficient way to drive down reimbursement and costs.

Over the past year, SNMMI-TS leadership has also continued to work closely with The Joint Commission on the proposed revisions to standards for diagnostic imaging services—revisions that, if approved, could have a detrimental effect on the industry as a whole. The SNMMI-TS leadership met with The Joint Commission during the Radiological Society of North America annual meeting to discuss these concerns and review the training and credentials of certified technologists practicing in the field today. In addition, the leadership collaborated with the NMTCB and the ARRT to create a response to recommend training and certification criteria for both nuclear medicine technologists and radiographers.

Guided by the strategic plan, we have focused strongly on education, training, and credentialing of the nuclear medicine and molecular imaging technologist community to ensure a clear career path for advancement in the field. The new ARRT/SNMMI-TS grant, funded by ARRT, will support nuclear medicine technologists wishing to pursue additional educational opportunities in an effort to advance their professional career.

I am so grateful for the support and hard work over the past year of our leadership team and the many volunteers who have devoted their time and talents to SNMMI-TS. We have accomplished much, but there is more work ahead. As I turn the leadership of SNMMI-TS over to the capable hands of Aaron Scott, MIS, CNMT, NMAA, FSNMMI-TS, I am confident that we will continue to strengthen the quality of care, publicize the benefits of nuclear medicine, improve opportunities for members, and have a strong voice on regulatory and legislative issues that affect the industry.