1. SDMS 2004 Sonographer Salary & Benefits Survey
2. California Legislature Passes 'Entertainment' Ultrasound Regulations
3. Walk-ins Welcome at SDMS 2004 Annual Conference in New Orleans
4. SDMS 2005 Annual Conference: Call for Course and Faculty Proposals
5. Promote MUAM in Your Workplace and Community
6. Order Your Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month Items This Week!
7. Medicare Proposes Payment Rates and Policy Changes
8. Certification News
9. News & Notes
10. Important Dates

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUESTED!

We need your help! Please complete the SDMS 2004 Sonographer Salary & Benefits Survey - it's online and only takes a few minutes to complete.

This confidential employee-based survey will provide in-depth, accurate compensation and benefits data for the field of diagnostic medical sonography. SDMS will use this information to generate practice/specialty salary and benefits reports which could assist you in your next salary review or when seeking a new job. SDMS members will have access to the survey reports AT NO CHARGE!

Your answers to this survey will be kept strictly confidential. The results will only be released in aggregate – no data will be released about any individual.

As a "thank you" for participating in this survey, SDMS will hold a random drawing for those who complete the survey and provide us their email address (before 5:00 pm [CST] on November 1, 2004).

Prizes in Random Drawing:

• Grand Prize: Gift certificates at your choice of more than a dozen stores including Saks Fifth Avenue, Crate and Barrel, Home Depot, Smith & Hawken, Brooks Brothers, Dell Computers, Discovery Channel Store, and more (value: $500)
• 1st Prize: 2005 SDMS Annual Conference registration (value: $295)
• 2nd Prize: Free SDMS Membership renewal (value: $119)
• 3rd Prize: Gift certificate good for SDMS products (value: $50)

Note that this survey specifically excludes educators, travelers, commercial application specialists, and sonographers working outside of the US -- these groups may be targeted for future surveys.

The California legislature recently passed a new law which imposes regulations on 'entertainment' ultrasound. The new law, which is effective January 1, 2005, requires: "A person or facility that offers fetal ultrasound, or a similar procedure, for keepsake or entertainment purposes, shall disclose to a client prior to performing the procedure, in writing, the following statement: 'The federal Food and Drug Adminstration has determined that the use of medical ultrasound equipment for other than medical purposes, or without a physician's prescription, is an unapproved use.'"

Further, the law states: "The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

a. The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines ultrasound imaging as a diagnostic medical procedure that uses high frequency sound waves to produce diagnostic images, or sonograms, of organs, tissues, or blood flow inside the body.

b. Ultrasound imaging has numerous legitimate uses, including all of the following:
    1. Diagnosing pregnancy
    2. Determining fetal age
    3. Diagnosing congenital abnormalities
    4. Evaluating position of the placenta
    5. Determining multiple pregnancies

c. Facilities for performing fetal ultrasound for the purpose of providing parents with 'keepsake videos', using the latest ultrasound technology to produce high-resolution images of babies developing in the womb, are gaining nationwide popularity. At these facilities, ultrasounds may be performed by untrained and unlicensed technicians, often without a doctor's prescription. In addition, women are sometimes exposed to the ultrasound for longer than the time specified by the FDA for fetal monitoring.

d. The FDA has disapproved the promotion, sale, or lease of ultrasound equipment for making 'keepsake' fetal videos. This practice is also discouraged by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

To view the text of the new law, visit:

For additional information on the issue of non-diagnostic use, please visit:

The pre-conference registration deadline has passed. However, on-site registrations are welcome. Please stop by the SDMS registration desk on the Third Floor of the Hyatt Regency New Orleans. Registration hours are:

• Wednesday, September 29 - 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
• Thursday, September 30 - 7:00 am to 8:30 pm
• Friday, October 1 - 7:00 am to 7:00 pm
• Saturday, October 2 - 7:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Sunday, October 3 - 7:30 am to 12:30 pm

We may still have a few seats available in our pre-conference tutorials on September 30 and Lunch & Learn educational sessions on October 1 and 2. Check availability at the registration desk.

If you can't make it to the educational sessions, we recommend an exhibit hall pass (only $25). Our exhibitors range from ultrasound equipment manufacturers to recruiters. Our exhibit hall is open:

• Thursday, September 30 - 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
• Friday, October 1 - 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (closed from 1:00 to 2:30 for lunch)
• Saturday, October 2 - 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (closed from 1:00 to 2:30 for lunch)

To see the complete list of companies who are exhibiting, visit:

For complete program details and hotel reservation information, visit:

The SDMS Conference Management Committee (CMC) will begin planning the 2005 Annual Conference shortly after the conclusion of the 2004 Conference in New Orleans, LA. To assist the CMC in its continuing efforts to provide a conference that meets your needs and exceeds your expectations, you are encouraged to submit course and faculty proposals for the 2005 Annual Conference in Dallas, TX. All proposals will be considered by the CMC during the 2005 Annual Conference planning meetings.

Deadline: September 3, 2004

For more information, visit:

Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month is almost here! This is THE opportunity to promote your profession and your role in the delivery of healthcare. SDMS, AIUM, ARDMS, ASE, CCI and SVU have developed a Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month Promotion Kit to help with your efforts to 'spread the word'. For a copy, go to:

Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month promotional products are selling quickly. Select from buttons, posters, and T-shirts. Quantities are limited! So, don't delay in placing your order. For more information, visit:

Important Notes:

• Due to the heavy volume of calls this time of year, we ask that you fax your order to the SDMS. Fax: 214-473-8563
• Due to SDMS Annual Conference, no orders (including standard SDMS product orders) will be filled between September 27 and October 5.

In an August 9, 2004 News Release, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it was proposing that Medicare beneficiaries have greater access to preventive healthcare services and lower co-payments for hospital outpatient services. Additionally, under these proposed revised payment regulations announced by the Medicare program, hospitals will see a 3.3% inflation adjustment payment for outpatient services.

The proposed payment rate update and other policy changes in the annual Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) would increase projected Medicare payments to hospitals to 24.2 billion compared to the 22.7 billion in 2004. The open comment period for these proposed regulations is October 8, 2004. To view the entire CMS News Release, visit:

CCI

SDMS and CCI plan to begin jointly testing the SDMS CME Tracker program in September. SDMS members who have provided their CCI# to SDMS and attend the SDMS 2004 Annual Conference will have their continuing education credits automatically reported to CCI following the conference.

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