Brief Overview of the Fall 2018 SNMMI-TS Board Meeting

Norman E. Bolus

Norman E. Bolus, MSPH, MPH, CNMT, FSNMMI-TS

The SNMMI-TS executive board and the SNMMI board of directors met in Reston, Virginia, on September 21–23 for a general discussion on the progress of current endeavors, as well as to determine the budget for the coming fiscal year. A brief overview of the meeting follows.

The board welcomed 2018 Slosky Fellow Nicole Nardecchia, MBA, CNMT, PET, RT(MR)(CT). The Ursula Mary-Kocemba Slosky, PhD, Professional Relations Fellowship is designed to provide early-career professionals in nuclear medicine and molecular imaging with direct, first-hand exposure to professional and public relations activities of the SNMMI as they relate to other medical societies and professional organizations, giving them experience in intersociety relations. Nicole spent an entire week with SNMMI-TS leadership and staff, ending her experience by attending the SNMMI-TS finance committee meeting and the SNMMI-TS executive board meeting on September 21. During the week, she met with individuals from several government agencies, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute, as well as senators, congressmen, and professional societies that work closely with the SNMMI-TS. Nicole is a native of Connecticut and works as a PET technologist at Yale University’s PET Center for Research and as quality improvement and patient safety coordinator at Yale–New Haven Hospital.

At the SNMMI-TS executive board meeting, a few committees presented updates on their ongoing efforts. All others provided written reports on their respective progress.

The advocacy committee, chaired by Tony Sicignano, is monitoring a number of activities, including changes to several state licensure processes in Pennsylvania, Missouri, Oklahoma, Nevada, Georgia, Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, North Carolina, and South Dakota; impacts of state medical boards dissolving or merging with other boards; and the status of the proposed USP<825> general chapter on radiopharmaceuticals.
The “imaging scientists concept task force,” chaired by Lynne Roy, had its first conference call in early September. It is slowly gathering information and developing a framework of what could be needed by an “imaging scientist” in terms of credentials and education, legislation, and more. Possible first steps include creating a scope of practice for an advanced imaging specialist or developing a curriculum.
The “practice-based outreach task force,” chaired by Aileen Staffaroni, is finding an effective way to spread news about the quality and value of nuclear medicine to technologists, patients, and referring physicians by producing 1-page flyers for various procedures or diseases. Members of the group, which is organized under the oversight of the SNMMI outreach committee, are beginning to organize their collective insights and information.
The quality committee, chaired by April Mann, will be offering a new series worth 10–14 continuing education credits, to be available by spring 2019 or sooner. This series will be free to members; the nonmember fee includes a free 1-year membership.
The history committee, chaired by Brenda King, is already working on commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Technologist Section, which will occur in 2020. She is developing a number of commemorative items, including a potential history booklet of the Technologist Section.

These committees are driven by the dedication and hard work of volunteers throughout the year—which allows the programming and work of the society to take place. These volunteers, along with SNMMI staff, help the Society continue to function, and I thank each one of them for their commitment.