SDMS Sound News

March 31, 2002
Volume 4, Issue 3

Table of Contents

1. We're Moving!

The SDMS Headquarters is moving! In preparation for the move, SDMS headquarters will be closed on Friday, April 12.

We begin moving at 5:00 pm (central time) on Friday, April 19, 2002 and will be closed the following week to complete the move and unpack - our phones, fax, email, and website will NOT be available!

We will reopen in our new office on Monday, April 29, 2002 at 8:00 am (central time). Our new address will be:

Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography
2745 N Dallas Pkwy Ste 350
Plano, TX 75093-8730

Our phone/fax numbers, email addresses, and website will all remain unchanged.

   View a map of our new location

   Get our new "SDMS Virtual Business Cards"*

* Outlook^® Vcard: If you use Microsoft Outlook (and some other email software), you can download a Vcard (virtual business card) to your Outlook Contacts.

2. SDMS Discussion Forums: Washington State Reinstates Ergonomic Rules

According to a March 5 press release, Washington Governor Gary Locke directed the state's Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) to implement the state's ergonomics rule but asked that enforcement actions be delayed until July 2004.

In May 2000, L&I adopted an ergonomics rule to reduce pain, disability and the cost of 50,000 preventable work-related musculoskeletal injuries that occur every year. In order to make sure the state's pioneering rule was ready to be implemented, Locke requested that L&I establish a Blue Ribbon Panel on Ergonomics to assess whether the following criteria have been met prior to the rule's first effective date of July 1, 2002:

• Demonstration projects have been successful
• Effective educational materials are widely available
• The requirements are understandable
• The enforcement policies and procedures are fair and consistent.

After a comprehensive review, the panel determined that all four criteria have been met. However, the panel also made five recommendations to improve the effective and fair implementation of the rule.

For more of this press release and information on ergonomics, visit the MSI forum at:

3. Help Get the Word Out!

The official recognition of the sonographer as 'its own' distinct employment category is a significant turning point for our profession and the SDMS needs your help in spreading the word.

A news release by the SDMS on the classification of diagnostic medical sonography as a distinct and separate profession is now posted on our website. This news release is linked to the model job description for sonographers.

The most effective way to 'get the word out' is through grassroots effort. The SDMS encourages each of you to take a copy of the news release and model job description to your employer, human resource department, and anyone else who is responsible for employee records, and request that appropriate changes be made to your employment classification and job description.

For additional information, see the lead story in the January/February/March 2002 issue of News Wave.

4. HHS Publishes Proposed Modifications to the HIPAA Privacy Standards

On March 27, 2002, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the much-anticipated proposed modifications to the Privacy Rule issued under the Administrative Simplification provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Their publication has generated much press, some of which suggests that the Bush administration has backed away from supporting these regulations and that providers no longer need to be as concerned about compliance with HIPAA. This is clearly not the case. While the modifications contain some provisions which are very favorable to medical providers, such as those related to consent, the proposed regulations continue to reflect a commitment to strong privacy protections which will require providers to take immediate steps to meet the still-demanding requirements of the regulations. It is important to remember that the proposed rules restate the intention of HHS to create and enforce a demanding set of privacy obligations. Indeed, in a few instances, the proposed rules actually increase the burdens imposed by the privacy standards. [Source: Bill Sarraile, Arent Fox (SDMS lobbyist)]

For more information, visit:

5. New JDMS CME Article Available

A new CME article from the March/April 2002 issue of the JDMS is now available in the Members Only area of the SDMS website. The CME article, Improved Sonographic Accuracy in the Presurgical Diagnosis of Diffuse Adenomyosis: A Case Series and Review, was written by Sharon L. Schneider, RT, RDMS, Marveen Craig, RDMS, and Pamela Branning, MD. Earn 1 CME credit in the OB specialty by reading the article and successfully completing the post test.

6. Countdown to Annual Conference Registration

Soon it will be time to confirm your place at THE educational destination for all sonographers--the SDMS Annual Conference!

SDMS 19th Annual Conference
October 3-6, 2002
Hilton Atlanta Hotel
Atlanta, Georgia

Over 60 courses in five tracks, Ob/Gyn, Abdomen, Vascular, Cardiac, and Practice Strategies. Earn up to 18 SDMS CME credits in the 2 ½ day program. An additional 9.5 credits are available through Pre-Conference Tutorials and Lunch and Learn sessions.

Complete program details will be outlined in our brochure hitting your mailbox in May.

Take the registration brochure to your employer and explain how your practice will benefit from your participation in the SDMS 19th Annual Conference in Atlanta. Increased skill means greater quality and efficiency. Increased knowledge means having the ability to solve problems. Increased awareness of issues facing your profession means you can avoid costly mistakes.

Register for the Conference! New option this year---online registration when paying by credit card. It's fast, it's easy and you'll reserve your spot in all of the courses that you want. Remember, registration is limited for the Pre-Conference Tutorials and Lunch and Learn sessions. Our entire program sold out last year, so don't wait to request the check from your accounting department. Get approval and register early---Big savings if you register on or before the Early Bird deadline of August 9.

Make your hotel reservations at the Hilton Atlanta. Complete the Hotel Reservation Form in the back of the Conference Brochure or on the SDMS website and send to the Hilton to reserve your room. Our hotel sold out last year so reserve your space early!


Hilton Atlanta Hotel
Phone: 404-659-2000 or 800-445-8667
Fax: 404-222-2967


Important: To receive the discounted room rate, you must identify yourself as a SDMS Annual Conference attendee.

7. Legislative & Regulatory Fund Donations

The SDMS has taken the lead position in serving as a strong advocacy voice in addressing legislative and regulatory issues that directly affect sonographers and the ultrasound profession.

• SDMS maintains a track record of success in representing the interests of its members before Congress and Federal agencies.
• Recent legislative successes include reversing the restrictive supervision requirements for ultrasound proposed by HCFA (now CMS), and fending off regulatory "raiding parties" at the state level.
• SDMS continues to monitor, track, and respond to state and federal legislation and regulatory issues.

When you receive your SDMS membership renewal invoice, consider contributing to the Legislative & Regulatory Fund and help SDMS in its efforts.

8. Discussion Forum: Multi-specialty imaging situations

How many folks are in multi-specialty imaging situations? What imaging modalities are you required to do in addition to echocardiography? My main focus is arterial duplex and indirect plus all echocardiography. Who else does peripheral vascular and echo and what do you do? - Kat Garcia

We are performing Adult echo, Ped. echo, Vascular(carotid duplex, Peripheral arterial/venous duplex, segmental pressure/PVR/Doppler waveforms, Abd. duplex) Abdomen, OB/GYN, small parts. This gives our dept. many advantages with call and flexibility in staffing with vacations, family leave and sick time. It has its disadvantages but we (staff and administration) feel they are outweighed by the advantages. At times on call we have been burned with the number of exams on a night or weekend. This is infrequent and the rotation is longer with more sonographers in the rotation. We like the variety. We are also strongly supported by all of our interpreting physicians from all modalities. They are happy with the service and quality. Two of us are RDMS, RVT, RDCS, and the rest are working on getting to this point, and perhaps beyond as seen to be necessary. - Andy

Kat,
I'm also a multi-modality sonographer. My main function is vascular ultrasound, since that's what I really love and I'm lucky enough to work in a place that allows me to do it full time. I do cover for the echo sonographer in case of vacation, emergencies, etc. I also do any pediatric echoes, since I am registered in Pedi as well as Adult Echocardiography and Vascular. Our full time Echo sonographer is only registered in Adult. As for vascular the only things that I don't do are TCD or any abdominal. At this point our staff is very small, but we are growing. Lack of qualified applicants seems to be our biggest obstacle to growth. Although we are only 200 miles from a 4 year ultrasound program we are a rural area. If anyone has some recruitment ideas please share. - Debbie

For more information or to contribute to this discussion, visit:

9. News & Notes

The News & Notes column includes links to web-based news articles of interest to sonographers. To submit articles, send the URL to webmaster@sdms.org.

Freehand scanning improves on elasticity ultrasound imaging
  http://www.auntminnie.com/index.asp?Sec=sup&Sub=wom&Pag=dis&ItemId=52963

Bush Acts to Drop Core Privacy Rule on Medical Data
  http://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/22/politics/22PRIV.html?0321na5

Healthcare Employment Projections: An Analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Projections 2000-2010
  http://chws.albany.edu/reports/012002/blsproj2002.pdf

Dubose gets recognition for his work in sonography
  http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/030702/med_030702003.shtml

Adding 3-D to power Doppler US improves prostate cancer detection
  http://www.auntminnie.com/index.asp?Sec=sup&Sub=ult&Pag=dis&ItemId=52945

10. Important Dates