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NEWS: Accreditation Mandate Included in New Medicare Bill
Accreditation Mandate Included in New Medicare Bill… The U.S. Congress passed and upheld the Patients and Providers Act on July 9th and 15th, 2008. The bill requires that by 2012, providers of advanced diagnostic imaging services, inclusive of Nuclear Medicine, MR, CT, and PET, must obtain accreditation as a condition for reimbursement. Go to http://intersocietal.org/iac/news/breaking_MedicareAct.htm
ICAEL has made changes in delayed laboratories. The labs now:
- Have one year to provide additionally requested documentation
- Are permitted to submit one set of delayed material free of charge
- Will be assessed $200.00 if lab must provide additional materal
- Have a maximum of three delay submissions
Go to http://www.icael.org/iac/news/changeinpolicy_delaystatus.htm for more information
The ICAEL hopes to release the Online Accreditation in November. The Online Accreditation system is entirely web-based, you will be able to purchase materials, store accreditation data, complete and submit the ICAEL application all via the internet. The new system features direct links to the standards and instructional language to assist in the application process. Go to http://www.icael.org/iac/news/whatsonline.htm for full article |
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NEWS: JRC-DMS's Recognition of CCI Credentials
The Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS) Board of Directors voted at its July 31 - August 2, 2008 meeting to accept the Registered Vascular Sonographer, RVS, and Registered Cardiac Sonographer, RCS, credentials as meeting the standards for credentialing outcomes, and for all other references of appropriate credentials necessary to meet the Standards.
Visit CCI-Online.Org for more information |
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NEWS: United Healthcare Extends Reimbursement Deadline
In a statement released recently, United Healthcare has extended the mandatory lab accreditation to the 4th quarter of 2009. It was ruled that all advanced imaging modalities must be accreditated by January 1, 2012 to qualify for reimbursement.
Read the news release online. |
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New! Third Edition of Terry Reynold's (Adult) Echocardiographer's Pocket Reference is now available. Includes the new American Society of Echocardiography recommendations for wall segments and coronary artery distribution, chamber quantification including the left atrium and left ventricle and new recommendations for the evaluation of valvular regurgitation. There is an expanded how-to section, additional two-dimensional images, inclusion of tissue Doppler imaging, myocardial strain imaging, cardiac resynchronization therapy and real time three-dimensional echocardiography.
A new peripheral vascular section has been added and includes the new American Society of Echocardiography recommendations. To read more or purchase click here.
ON SALE. BUY NOW. |
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Sonography Coalition Working with Oregon Officials A coalition of sonography organizations has been formed to address the issue of state-based licensure for medical imaging providers, including sonography, in Oregon. SVU and SDMS as members of the collation participated in a letter to OBRT regarding a proposed Medical Imaging Licensure Bill in Oregon. Read the letter (pdf).
SVU Continues to Monitor Oregon Licensure Bill. Read more |
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SDMS Delivers Quality Sonograms Brochure to Congress: A brochure advocating the passage of the CARE bill was distributed to members of Congress and their key staff members during the Alliance's November Virtual March on Capitol Hill. view brochure... |
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The 2008 ICAEL Standards Are Now Available
The ICAEL has announced the release of the 2008 Standards for Accreditation. To download visit The Standards page. |
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Sound Ergonomics has launched S'Ergo News"- a new bi-monthly newsletter. Their first edition includes links to TOP 10 LIST FOR SONOGRAPHER SAFETY, a request for you to SIGN UP FOR THE 2008 SYMPTOM SURVEY and link for you to join their mailing list. Click on blue text for more information. |
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ACC/AHA Release Revised Guidelines for the Management of Unstable Angina (UA) and Non-ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (NSTEMI)
“The American Collegeof Cardiology and the American Heart Association have jointly released revised Guidelines for the Management of Patients with Unstable Angina (UA)/Non-ST- Elevation Myocardial Infarction (NSTEMI). Major changes to the guidelines include: suggesting an initial non-invasive set of preliminary tests, such as a stress test, echocardiogram or radionuclide angiogram; recommending the use of anti-platelet therapy clopidogrel for at least one year after receiving a drug-eluting stent; highlighting the importance of more intense lipid and blood pressure control; and advising cessation of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) use for all UA/NSTEMI patients during hospitalization.” Read more |
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CCMS Proposes Policy and Payment Changes for Physicians’ Services in 2008
“The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) projects that it will pay approximately $58.9 billion to 900,000 physicians and other health care professionals in calendar year (CY) 2008, under a proposed rule released on July 2 that would revise payment rates and policies under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS). This proposed rule is a further step in Medicare’s efforts to ensure that payment policies provide incentives to improve the quality of care.” Read more |
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Echo-Web: In The News
Posted by The Scout Report:
Basic Principles of Ultrasound
Created by a team of medical professionals and health-care specialists, the main Echo Web site contains a wide range of resources dealing primarily with diagnostic ultrasounds, sonography, and the field of echocardiography. One of the most helpful of these resources is the Basic Principles of Ultrasound online course, which is available here at no cost. The course itself is divided into six different sections, along with a bibliography and FAQ area. Visitors can use the online course to learn about the basic principles of ultrasound, the basic science behind related devices and instruments, and the ways to use these devices safely. Instructors might also do well to use this website in conjunction with lectures on the subject, or as away to give students an additional resource to consult at their leisure.
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SVU Urges Member Support of CARE Bill
“The “Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility, and Excellence in Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Act of 2007” (CARE Bill) was re-introduced earlier this year in both the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R. 583) and in the U.S. Senate (S. 1042). “
“The CARE Bill takes an important step towards improving the quality of ultrasound exams. Currently, there are no federal rules establishing a minimum level of training and experience to perform ultrasound exams. There are no state rules or laws that require training and experience to perform ultrasound exams, except in California where state rules exist only for prenatal ultrasound. Many private insurance companies are trending toward requiring the accreditation of ultrasound labs or credentialing for technologists / sonographers who perform ultrasound exams in order to reimburse those providers, but there are no such requirements for patients covered by Medicare and Medicaid.” Read more. |
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The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health, and Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) Coalition would like to invite you to join the Stay in Circulation: Take Steps to Learn About P.A.D. partners list. The Stay in Circulation Update offers regular e-mails on plans for this year’s Stay in Circulation Week activities, including the availability of new campaign materials.
It is easy to join! Just go to
http://mail.nhlbi-nih.info/subscribe/pad/subscribe.htm and enter your information |
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Imaging Under Attack
The rising cost of imaging to the Medicare program will remain under a microscope and the Administration and some in Congress will attempt to further reduce reimbursements for imaging services. The ACR will oppose such reductions and work during the coming year to promote sensible and reasonable reimbursement policies that highlight expert quality, patient safety and appropriateness of testing. Read more |
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Echo-Web Opens Certificate Repository
Now you can upload your non-Echo-Web certificates to our repository and have access to your information anywhere. If you receive an Audit Notification from ARDMS or CCI, your certificates are electronically stored online. It is a simple process. You convert your certificates to Adobe PDF format, access your account, and upload your documents within minutes. PDF is the most secure document system currently available.
If you are multi-modality, Echo-Web is the perfect place to keep copies of your documents online. |
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