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SDMS Sound NewsTM
 Volume 6, Issue 6
June 30, 2004

 ISSN 1543-0448

 
  In This Issue...

This issue of SDMS Sound News is sponsored by the Amersham Health (now a part of GE Healthcare), a GOLD sponsor of SDMS.
Amersham Health is the leading global pharmaceutical provider of diagnostic imaging products. Amersham Health is dedicated to providing healthcare professionals with products that expand and improve their diagnostic capabilities and contribute to the treatment of disease. With a focus in cardiovascular imaging, Amersham Health markets Optison (Perflutren Protein-Type A Microspheres for Injection, USP) for use in echocardiography.

SDMS Sound News is a way of sharing important or time-sensitive news with our members. It supplements our print newsletter, News Wave and provides links to new information and services available on the SDMS web site. SDMS Sound News is published monthly. An archive of past issues is available at http://www.sdms.org/lists/soundnewsarchive.asp 		 
  SDMS Member: [[FirstName]] [[LastName]]
Membership Expires: [[ExpDate]]
Email Address: [[Email]] 		 
  1. LAST CHANCE! Cast Your Vote in the SDMS 2004 Elections   

Only a few days remain in the 2004 SDMS elections. The SDMS needs a few minutes of your time to help select the future leaders of SDMS! SDMS members in the following membership categories are eligible to vote in SDMS elections: Active (ACT), Associate (ASC), Fellow (FEL), Advanced Practice Sonographer® (APS®). If you live in Region 1, Region 5, and Region 6, please vote for your next Regional Director. All eligible members may also vote in the Nominating Committee election.

We've made the process pretty painless...you can vote online from almost anywhere! And we realize that many of you may not know the candidates personally -- but to help you get to know them, we've asked each candidate to share a little information about themselves and their vision for YOUR Society.

The elections end at 11:59 PM (central time) on June 30, 2004!

Learn more about the candidates and VOTE TODAY at:

  http://www.sdms.org/members/vote/ 		 
  2. SDMS Website Unavailable Over 4th of July Weekend

As SDMS membership continues to grow, so do the demands on the SDMS website. To help meet the growing needs, we are switching to a new Internet Service Provider. As a result, the SDMS website will be unavailable for all or part of the 4th of July weekend. The outage will also delay SDMS email delivery during the outage period. The outage will begin at 5:00 PM on Friday, July 2 and should end by 11:00 pm on Monday, July 5.

 
  Early Bird Registration ends August 6, 2004

Hurry! All you have to do is:

  1. Go to: http://www.sdms.org/meetings/ and register online with a credit card.


  2. Go to: http://www.sdms.org/meetings/resources/ac2004hotel.pdf and download/complete the form. Then fax your hotel reservations to the Hyatt New Orleans (Important: SDMS' room block has sold out before the cut-off date for the last 2 years! Make your reservation TODAY!)

  3. Get ready to GET JAZZED!
September 30 - October 3, 2004
New Orleans, Louisiana
  • SDMS CME credits for main program: up to 17.5
  • Additional optional SDMS CME credits: up to 9.5
 		 
  4. Last Chance to Enter Poster Competitions!

Deadline: Applications must be postmarked by July 2

The 2004 SDMS Poster Competitions will be held in New Orleans during the SDMS 2004 Annual Conference, September 30-October 3.

Sonographer Poster Exhibit Competition

Poster presentation reporting the results of a research study completed by applicants.

Posters are judged based on presentation, content, and originality. An individual sonographer or group of sonographers may enter a poster for competition.

Student Sonographer Poster Exhibit Competition

Poster presentations report results of research studies completed by students enrolled full-time in a diagnostic medical sonography program.

Posters are judged based on presentation, content, and originality. Students may enter a poster as a group or as an individual.

For complete competition rules and application, visit:

  http://www.sdms.org/pdf/awards.pdf 		 
 
Promote Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month 		 
  6. How Are We Doing?

If you haven't taken the few minutes required to complete the SDMS Membership Satisfaction Survey, please do so TODAY! SDMS is only as strong as its membership and knowing how you feel about your SDMS membership is vital to us. We value your membership and want to make sure your highest expectations are met. Complete the online survey and share your opinions of SDMS and the benefits currently offered as part of your membership:

  http://www.sdms.org/survey/satisfaction.asp 		 
  7. Medicare Fraud May Be Closer Than You Think

SDMS recently received an anonymous complaint about Medicare fraud involving sonographers. The complaint alleges that "phantom" registered sonographers who did not actually work for the billing lab were listed on lab accreditation documents. The complaint also alleges Medicare fraud by physicians ordering unnecessary ultrasound procedures.

Because SDMS is not a regulatory body, the organization has no authority to investigate or act on complaints regarding fraud. The anonymous complaint was also sent to other national organizations and the media. We have provided a link to the complaint language so SDMS members can review the alleged scenario and examine their own situations for any signs of Medicare fraud. We have also provided a link to information on the correct method for reporting Medicare fraud and abuse.

Anonymous Complaint:

  http://www.sdms.org/pdf/fraud.pdf

Medicare: How to Report Fraud and Abuse:

  http://www.medicare.gov/fraudabuse/HowToReport.asp

Office of Inspector General Hotline

To further assist you, the Office of the Inspector General maintains a hotline, which offers a confidential means for reporting vital information. The Hotline can be contacted:

By Phone: 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477)
By Fax: 1-800-223-2164 (no more than 10 pages please)
By E-Mail: HHSTips@oig.hhs.gov
By Mail:
    Office of the Inspector General
    HHS TIPS Hotline
    P.O. Box 23489
    Washington, DC 20026

If you are attempting to report specific information proving Medicare fraud, please provide as much identifying information as possible regarding your concern. Such information should include subject's name, address and phone number, etc. Details regarding the allegation should include the basics of who, what, when, where, why, and how. Please note that it is current Hotline policy not to respond directly to written communications.


 		 
  8. Certification News

ARDMS

JCAHPO Purchases ARDMS ROUB Credentialing Program and RDMS Ophthalmology Specialty Question Pool

The Joint Commission of Allied Health Professionals in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO®) will purchase the Registered Ophthalmologic Ultrasound Biometrist (ROUB) credentialing program from ARDMS. JCAHPO will also purchase the ARDMS Ophthalmology RDMS specialty examination item pool (examination questions).

For more information, visit:

http://www.sdms.org/pdf/ARDMSROUB.pdf

Task Analysis Survey Results

ARDMS has posted task analysis survey results for several specialty content areas:

  http://www.ardms.org/surveys/results.htm

CCI

Visit the Cardiovascular Credentialing International website to obtain a copy of the Spring issue of The Pulse: Special Edition: Credentialing Recognition.

  http://www.cci-online.org/ThePulse_Spring2004.pdf

ARRT

Press Releases
  • Primary Exams: 2003 Increase More Than Double 2002's Rate
  • Post-Primary Exams: Volume Up 8% Over Last Year
  http://www.arrt.org/website/newsite/New/WN_03_Exam_Stats.htm 		 
  9. Documentation Assistance for Sonographer Shortage Requested

The Coalition for Allied Health Leadership is requesting assistance in identifying information sources which relate to the sonographer shortage. The Coalition is affiliated with the Health Professions Network, a coalition of allied health organizations including the SDMS. Any SDMS member who has information that they might share is asked to provide this information directly to Ms. Kristin Juliar (contact information below).

    Good morning!

    I am seeking your help for a project to assess the scope and impact of the shortage of allied health professionals. A team from the Coalition for Allied Health Leadership is conducting a literature review that will be submitted for publication in a future issue of the Journal of Allied Health. The purpose of this project is to provide the type of background information needed to gain public and legislative support for the allied health professions.

    We would appreciate your help in reaching your membership with this request. We expect that there are articles, presentations, and papers that may exist with your members that may be very helpful in gaining recognition for allied health professions. We are specifically looking for work related to the scope and impact of the shortage of allied health professionals.

    It would be greatly appreciated if you would be willing to share this request with your membership. I have included some information about the CAHL and the team projects below. Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional background.

    Thanks for your help!

    Kristin Juliar, Director
    Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
    Healthcare Education - Industry Partnership
    Minnesota State University, Mankato
    MF 124
    Mankato, MN 56001
    507-389-2707
    FAX 507-389-6447
    http://www.heip.org
 
  10. 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

  
  11. Important Dates
2004  
July 2 Student and Sonographer Poster Competition Application deadline
July 31 SDMS Educational Foundation Scholarship deadline
July 31 CME Grants for Sonographers deadline
July 31 CME Grants for Students deadline
Aug 6 2004 SDMS Annual Conference Early Bird Registration deadline
Sept 3 Deadline for Speaker/Course Proposals for SDMS 2005 Annual Conference
Sept 30 - Oct 3 2004 SDMS Annual Conference
Oct 1 - Oct 31 Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month
Nov 30 SDMS Educational Foundation Scholarship deadline
 
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© Copyright 2004. Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Plano, TX. All Rights Reserved.