ASRT Delegate Report 2008

ASRT Delegate Report

June 12-15, 2008

Stephanie Johnston, BCH RT (R)(M)(BS)

Texas Affiliate Delegate

4/1/07 – 7/1/08

Delegate Orientation:

The delegate orientation was helpful because it provided information regarding many of the changes that were going to take place in the House this session. Cathy, Donna and the parliamentarian were very helpful in preparing the delegates for these changes and kept everything positive.

House Issues:

The electronic voting was faster and easier. There needs to be a definitive way to assure that each device is working correctly and that every vote is counted prior to or at the beginning of the session. Cathy did a wonderful job getting through the kinks, but a lot of time was spent on them. The only change I suggest is to make sure the standing rules are updated prior to the meeting. Everything else went very smoothly. The consent agenda was a welcome change.

Voting record for the House:

Please see attached report.

House Election Results:

Please see attached report.

Commission Hearing:

The commission hearing was broken into two sessions because the First House of Delegates ran late. A consensus vote was not taken. It was up to the delegate of record any issues with a main motion. This made the commission hearing run faster. Delegates should be responsible to determine what the issues are with each main motion.

Open Forum on Bylaws:

The bylaws were presented in a clear and concise manner. Several changes that were sent back to the committee last year were dealt with and the few that were not passed had relevant reasons for change.

Open Forum ARRT Report:

Bettye Wilson, president of the ARRT, provided a report on the changes ARRT have undergone in its 86 years. She reported that the ARRT is in collaboration with outside sources to help set standard and guidelines for the profession. She also reported that the ARRT projects staff to increase by 50% over the next ten years and that new building space is planned for the growth. Four areas allow for the growth of ARRT, 1) nimble, 2) broad focused, 3) collaborative, and 4) strategic.

Open Forum JRCERT Report:

Denise Moore of the JRCERT board described the peer review process and changes that have been made at the JRC. She reported that there are currently 621 radiology programs, 84 radiation therapy programs, 8 medical dosimetry programs, and 2 MRI programs accredited with the JRCERT.

ASRT Update:

Lynn May, ASRT CEO, reported on the strategic initiatives of the organization. They are as follows:

Develop and display customization and personalization

A. Tabs on the website when you log in are customized based on your credentials

B. New salary estimator

C. Journal won the ASEA Gold Circle award

Secure a favorable professional environment

A. House of Representative version of CARE Bill has 148 co-sponsors

B. Senate Bill has 27 co-sponsors

C. CT and Mammography curriculum are under review on website

Establish pathways for professionalism

A. Currently have the “Image Gently” campaign

B. Continued research

C. Continued education

D. In 2009, ASRT will hold CE meeting in conjunction with RSNA

Maintain the financial and organizational viability of ASRT

A. Over 2 million in net profit

B. Continued membership growth, now over 125,000 members

ASRT Foundation Update:

· Robert Walker of the Foundation gave a report on how the money for grants and scholarships was distributed. He reported about a new program to send students to China. He also reported that the website had changes and there were several ways to donate to the Foundation. Virtual poster presentations will be displayed at RSNA in 2009.

Educational Sessions:

· The educational sessions were informative. They included: 1) Parliamentary Procedures: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, 2) Health Policy Issues Affecting Medical Imaging, and 3) Medical Imaging Technology Advances: A Disruptive Innovation in Action? The educators provided good information. However was difficult to follow because they read the information to the group. A suggestion is to have educators that can present the information and keep the audience attentive.

Chapter Meeting:

· I attended the Mammography Chapter meeting. This chapter was combined with the Ultrasound Chapter because we have some of the same issues. The Ultrasound portion of the meeting was facilitated by Steering Committee Chair, Kelly Hartigan. The Mammography portion of the meeting was facilitated by Steering Committee Chair, Donita Shipman. ASRT staff and board assigned to this meeting was Sal Martino. The Ultrasound Chapter did not have the full complement of delegates in attendance of this meeting. The Mammography Chapter had all delegate members and some alternate delegates present. The meeting was held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, June 14^th.

· Issues that were discussed by the Ultrasound Chapter were the need for candidates on the national ballot. They reviewed the changes that were going to be brought forward in the House. One of their position statements was going to need a change and they prepared the motion form for the change. They re-appointed Steering Committee Chair, Kelly Hartigan and Steering Committed Vice-chair, David Hill for another year.

· Issues that were discussed by the Mammography Chapter were the need for open and easy discussion between the delegates and other mammographers. Some changes for MQSA inspections on sites with digital equipment are that the facility must have the latest edition of the manufacturer QC manual and the inspectors will want to watch the QC being done during their inspection to insure it is being done correctly. There was discussion of compiling a database of speakers in mammography for distribution to affiliates that need speakers and to exchange mammography speaker with other affiliates to give new and different perspectives. Several main motions were discussed and some could be added to the consent agenda. A motion form was prepared for that. Deborah Berry was elected Steering Committee Chair and Cheryl Worden was elected the Steering Committee Vice-chair.

Miscellaneous Professional Issues:

· Students

The student interns were downsized to a smaller group this year. While there were less of them, they were very dedicated and enthusiastic individuals. One change was to allow the students assigned to the Commission and Committee on Bylaws to participate in the meetings prior to the House of Delegates. This allowed the students to see how the entire process works. The intern program is a wonderful program and it is always nice to see ex-interns return to the annual meeting as technologists.

· Consent Agenda

The was created to combine all the main motions that consisted of routine or minor changes together and vote on them all as a package. The speaker initially had seven main motions on the consent agenda. After carefully consideration, more were added to the consent agenda and voted on. This process allowed the House to quickly take care of the main motions with no questions and give more time for those that do. This addition of the Consent Agenda will allow the House to fun more efficiently in the future. Consent Agenda main motions are located on attached report.

· Continuing Education Classes

Three CE classes were added on Saturday, June 14^th at no cost to participants. The goal was to provide the delegates information that will assist on the proceeding of the House as well as the decision making in the House the following day. It also gave the delegates CE for their participation in the House proceedings. The intent of this is good, the classes and delivery need some consideration.

· Focus Groups

Immediately following the CE classes the entire body was split into smaller groups and met to discuss some of the issues that were presented in the classes. There was a board member and staff member accompanying each focus group. The board member facilitated while the staff member took notes. These smaller groups of members allowed for a more personal discussion about what is relevant to the profession. CT was the hot topic in my focus group. There was much discussion about whether or not CT education should be in initial education for general technologist. There was discussion about how long an entry level program should be. We also discussed the changes surrounding digital. I personally spoke to Connie Mitchell, our facilitator, about the need for communication from the top, ASRT, to the bottom, all technologists that are working in the field and may not be members and the need for ASRT assistance with this.

Fellows Ceremony:

Sal Martino, Linda Holden and April Apple were elevated to the status of Fellows in a ceremony on Saturday, June 14^th. All were deserving and gracious recipients.

President’s Reception:

The President’s Reception was held on Sunday, June 15^th. Incoming Board Chair, Connie Mitchell present the outgoing board with honors and installed the incoming board which includes: President, Linda Holden, President-elect, Diane Mayo, Vice-president, James Temme, Secretary, Dawn McNeil. Linda Holden spoke about how technologists fit together in the puzzle of health care. She also continued the task force on Forensic Radiology.

ASRT Delegate Report

June 12-15, 2008

Charles M. Washington, MBA, RT(T), FASRT

Texas Affiliate Delegate

Term: 2008-2009

General:

· I arrived at the meeting on the morning of June 12, 2008 and departed on the morning of June 16, 2008

· Though I have attended the ASRT Annual Meeting for many years, attended and witnessed the activity of the House of Delegates, and having presented lectures and updates during those times, this was my first as a Delegate. It was a wonderful and important event in my professional life.

Delegate Orientation:

As a first time delegate, but not new to the proceeding of the House, the delegate orientation provided valuable information and direction to be efficient in the delivery of my obligations. The information provided was clear, concise, and cogent.

House Issues:

While there were a few challenges with implementing new technology, the electronic voting process was great. Having used a similar system before, the electronic component really provided a mechanism to expedite processes that were typically tedious.
The implementation of a consent agenda expedited House business as well. This process requires each delegate to come into session well prepared if they are going to be effective. Again, I have used this process before and it really makes the entire process more efficient. The ability to remove an item to further discuss them provides each delegate an opportunity to ensure that their thoughts are heard and their constituents are appropriately served.

Voting Record for the House:

Reported in Appendix I at the end of this summary.

House Election Results:

Cathie Kukec, B.M.E., RT(R)(QM) was re-elected as Speaker of the House
Donna Thaler-Long, MSM, RT(R) was re-elected as Vice Speaker of the House

Commission Hearing:

With the First House of Delegates running late, the commission hearing was broken into two parts. Each delegate had the responsibility to document any issues with a main motion. The process overall was smooth and uneventful.

Open Forum on Bylaws:

The bylaws forum proceeded efficiently. Any and all changes made were well supported and reflected efforts to make the document more consistent.

ARRT Report:

Bettye Wilson, President of the ARRT, provided an ARRT report that reflected a change in presentation format. All ASRT appointees to the Board and one ACR appointee were present along with ARRT office staff. Other than a list of offerings and changes, the presentation reflected growth of the organization and efforts to solidify it and remain relevant to current and future practice. To list a few points:
- The organization is undergoing physical expansion of its Minneapolis, MN headquarters
- Efforts to be more responsive to changes in practice have been employed
- Collaborative efforts for the organization continue to be in the forefront..

JRCERT Report:

This report described/explained the peer review process for educational programs and changes that have been implemented. There are currently 621 radiology programs, 84 radiation therapy programs, 8 medical dosimetry programs, and 2 MRI programs accredited with the JRCERT.

ASRT Update:

Lynn May reported on the strategic initiatives and accomplishments of the ASRT.

Develop and display customization and personalization

a) Enhancements to the ASRT web site have been made

· Ability to have a customizable page focused on specific discipline area and credentials noted with the organization

· A salary estimator is available to assist in comparing technologist salaries

Secure a favorable professional environment

A. House of Representative version of CARE Bill currently has 148 co-sponsors

B. Senate Bill currently has 27 co-sponsors

C. CT and Mammography curriculum are under review and can be accessed on the ASRT website

Establish pathways for professionalism

A. Currently have the “Image Gently” campaign underway

B. Continued research focus

C. Continued education focus

D. In 2009, ASRT will hold continuing education meeting in conjunction with RSNA

Maintain the financial and organizational viability of ASRT

A. Over $2M in net profit

B. The organization continues to experience membership growth, now with over 125,000 active members

ASRT Foundation Update:

· A n update of the activities of the Foundation was provided by Robert Walker. Points to note:

o Increased distribution of grants.

o The foundation website has been updated.

o Virtual poster presentations will be displayed at RSNA in 2009.

Educational Sessions:

· There were three educational sessions that were focused on educating those in attendance, particularly the delegates, on procedural protocol and identification of issues in health care and the associated strategies to address them. The lectures were as follows:

o Parliamentary Procedures: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

o Health Policy Issues Affecting Medical Imaging

o Medical Imaging Technology Advances: A Disruptive Innovation in Action?

· Some of the speakers were well versed to present to large groups while a few read their report and did not seem to be in tune with the flow of information. The presentation (second) would have been better and more credible if the speaker was more fluid with the information.

· Overall the sessions were good.

Chapter Meeting – Radiation Therapy and Medical Dosimetry:

· I attended the Radiation Therapy and Medical Dosimetry Combined Chapter meeting, Chaired by Connie Bonner and Sandra Hayden. Lynn May, James Temme were in attendance from the ASRT. Jerry Reid and Kevin Rush represented the ARRT. Leslie Winter represented the JRCERT. Items discussed at the meeting included

o Advanced Practice in Radiation Therapy – discussion on the ongoing question of advanced practice in Radiation Therapy and what it should embrace. No recommendations were forwarded

o Discussions of Therapy/Dosimetry related resolutions – positions were discussed and strategies cited on issues to clarify practitioners best suited for simulation practice – the radiation therapist. This does not mean that as allowed by state entities, others cannot practice, merrily that the practice is “best” performed by the radiation therapist.

o Use of other modalities in radiation therapy practice – varied practice and imaging infusion into therapy practice is requiring additional information and training to effectively practice. Formalization of that evolutional change was discussed. No recommendations were forwarded.

o Curriculum revision status for therapy and dosimetry – ongoing and available for review soon on ASRT web site

o Baccalaureate degree requirement for therapy – continued efforts should be done to work with ARRT, ASRT, and JRCERT to move the requirement forward

· There is a need to get more Radiation Therapy and Medical Dosimetry practitioners involved in the ASRT. Challenges exist in ensuring that the issues of the modalities noted are not lost among issues of the larger group, radiography et al. A request was made to ensure that there was an opportunity for the chapter to meet at the ASRT Radiation Therapy Conference (RTC) that is held in conjunction with ASTRO.

· The chapter re-appointed Sandra Hayden as Chairman of the Radiation therapy Chapter. The chapter also appointed Bernadette Garofola as Chairman of the Medical Dosimetry Chapter.

Focus Groups:

· Greg Morrison facilitated the group discussion.

· Challenges of the blurring lines evident as technology continues to evolve were discussed after the educational programming.

· Points and counter-points were presented on what drives technology infusion into practice and how we would need to better future practitioners to function.

· Territorial issues were acknowledged – they need to be addressed

· The question of practice driving technology or technology driving practice was asked with no definite resolution.

· Ideas captured by the group were collected for further ASRT assessment.

Fellows Ceremony:

I participated in the event as a Fellow of the ASRT. There were three new fellows elevated into the group, each with outstanding credentials: Sal Martino, Linda Holden and April Apple.

President’s Reception:

The President’s Reception was held on Sunday, June 15, 2008. The incoming board was installed as follows:
- President - Linda Holden
- President-Elect - Diane Mayo
- Vice-president - James Temme
- Secretary - Dawn McNeil
Linda Holden made her presidential address on advancing health care from our perspective. She also continued the Task Force on Forensic Radiology.