I support changing the regulations of the Radiologist Assistant to allow supervision of diagnostic procedures ( fluoroscopy ) and minimally invasive needle procedures to "general" or remote supervision. Currently the regulations read that the Radiologist must be "in the building" in order to supervise the Radiologist Assistant. Changing the regulations would provide greater flexibility in scheduling for more rural healthcare settings and provide greater access to care for our community. With the nationwide shortage of Radiologists, optimizing the use of the resources we have is imperative to keep up with the growing demand. It is important to emphasize that all studies performed by the Radiologist Assistant are reviewed with the Supervising Radiologist before the Physician provides the final interpretation.
I encourage the board to amend the Radiologist Assistant Rules and Regulations to allow for general supervision for diagnostic imaging and minimally invasive needle procedures so we can provide greater access to care for our community.