SDMS Sound News, Volume 8, Issue 7

Volume 8, Issue 7 July 31, 2006 ISSN 1543-0448

In This Issue...

SDMS Election Results 2006
Early Bird Deadline Approaching - Register by August 11 and Save!
Sonography Career Recruitment - Podcast Style
NEW Exclusive Benefit for SDMS Members: FREE CME Credits From Sonocredits.com!
SDMS Hosts Advanced Practice Conference
Coalition for Quality in Ultrasound (CQU) Meets in Washington, D.C.
Access to Medicare Imaging Act Bill Introduced
Federal Grants Available for Community-Based Job Training Programs
Thank a Mentor Today!
Thank You From Delgado Community College Sonography Program
News & Notes
Important Dates

This issue of SDMS Sound News is sponsored by GE Healthcare, a PLATINUM sponsor of SDMS.

GE Healthcare is the leading global pharmaceutical provider of diagnostic imaging products. GE Healthcare 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, GE Healthcare 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]]

The results from the 2006 elections have been certified and reported to the SDMS headquarters by an independent accounting firm. Elections were held for: At-Large Director (US), At-Large Director (International), and four positions on the Society's Nominating Committee.

SDMS Election Winners

Terry Tye
MS, RDMS, RDCS
At-Large Director (US)

Nancy Chouinard
BS, RDMS, RDCS, RVT
At-Large Director (International)

Sharon Calton
MS, RT(R), RDMS, RDCS, FSDMS
Nominating Committee

Pam Crawford
RT, RDMS
Nominating Committee

Ann Jones
RN, RVT, RDMS
Nominating Committee

Craig Peneff
BS, RDMS, RVT
Nominating Committee



	2. Early Bird Deadline Approaching - Register by August 11 and Save! We’re taking sonography to new heights! Join us in the “mile-high” city of Denver and participate in the largest annual gathering of sonographers in the world. SDMS Members can save $100 on their 2006 SDMS Annual Conference registration if they register by August 11, 2006. For more information or to register, please visit: http://www.sdms.org/meetings.



	3. Sonography Career Recruitment - Podcast Style The SDMS is pleased to announce that it's sonography career recruitment video has been accepted by the Apple iTunes podcast website. Any iTunes user can view the podcast from their computer and video iPod users can download the free 5 minute podcast to their iPods. The podcast is available in both the "Science and Medicine > Medicine" and "Education > Training" topic areas. With the proper cables, iPod users can even use their iPods to show the podcast on a television as part of class projects or career fairs. The addition of the SDMS podcast on the Apple iTunes podcast website is part of the Society's ongoing efforts to encourage high school students to make a SOUND career decision...Diagnostic Medical Sonography! To access the podcast, visit: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=167077946 (Note: free iTunes software is required - available at: http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/ ) The video can also be downloaded/viewed in Apple QuickTime format at: http://www.sdms.org/podcasts/career/DMSCareer-iPOD.MP4 For more information on the SDMS' sonography career recruitment efforts, visit: http://www.sdms.org/career/decision.asp



	4. NEW Exclusive Benefit for SDMS Members: FREE CME Credits From Sonocredits.com! SDMS and Sonocredits.com are proud to announce this new exclusive benefit for SDMS members. All members of SDMS can now access over 25 CME credits FREE through Sonocredits.com. Each CME article has been written by well-known luminaries in the field of diagnostic medical sonography. So… To start accessing your FREE CME credits, visit the SDMS website at http://www.sdms.org/members/sonocredits.asp



	5. SDMS Hosts Advanced Practice Conference The SDMS served as the host for the national Sonography Advanced Practice Consensus Conference (APCC) in Washington, D.C., July 21-23. Sixteen organizations participated in the conference including the: American College of Cardiology American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology American College of Radiology American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography American Registry of Radiologic Technologists American Society of Echocardiography American Society of Neuroimaging American Society of Radiologic Technologists Cardiovascular Credentialing International Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound Society for Vascular Surgery Society for Vascular Ultrasound Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography This conference was convened to discuss fundamental issues and questions that underpin the concept of advanced practice in sonography. The stated purpose of the conference was to engage the professional community in exploring these issues and questions, and ultimately to reach a community consensus on sonography advanced practice. Lead-off presentations that were used to focus the conference discussion included: ‘History of the Ultrasound Practitioner Commission’ – Rebecca Hall, Ph.D., RDMS, FSDMS ‘Medical-Legal Considerations for Sonographer Advanced Practice’ – William Sarraille, J.D. ‘Developing an Advanced Practice Imaging Professional: The Radiologist Assistant Experience’ – Lynn May, CAE ‘The Crisis in American Sonography: Why We Should Consider an Advanced Sonographic Practioner’ – Harris Finberg, M.D. Updates on the results of the conference will be provided in future issues of SDMS publications.



	6. Coalition for Quality in Ultrasound (CQU) Meets in Washington, D.C. The Coalition for Quality in Ultrasound held a national meeting in Washington, D.C. July 20th. The CQU is a coalition of 11 sonography related organizations including: American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography American Society of Neuroimaging American Society of Radiologic Technologists Cardiovascular Credentialing International Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography Society of Interventional Radiology Society for Vascular Medicine and Biology Society for Vascular Surgery Society for Vascular Ultrasound The CQU was originally formed to deal with local (state-based) Medicare Carrier regulations related to sonographer credentialing and/or ultrasound lab accreditation. Since the inception of the CQU, the number of states with required credentialing/accreditation reimbursement policies has risen to 30 including both California and Florida. Coalition members discussed the need for a revised CQU mission statement in the future, and agreed that the CQU provides a valuable vehicle for the exchange of information related to issues that impact the sonography community. Updates provided at the CQU meeting included: Local Medicare Review Policy CMS Macro Strategy: Controlling Healthcare Expense, Implications for Policy and Reimbursement Update of the Deficit Reduction Act Reimbursement Cuts: Short and Long-term Implications for Ultrasound Senate RadCARE Bill: An Alternative Vehicle for Sonographer Credentialing CQU member organizations agreed to plan for a face-to-face meeting at least once a year with supplemental interim conference calls. Updates on CQU activities and information will be provided in future issues of SDMS publications.



	7. Access to Medicare Imaging Act Bill Introduced On June 28, Congressman Joseph R. Pitts introduced the Access to Medicare Imaging Act bill (HR 5704), which would impose a two-year moratorium on the imaging reimbursement cuts in the Deficit Reduction Act. Both the SDMS and SVU signed on to the coalition of organizations supporting this legislation. The final version of the bill can be found at http://www.sdms.org/pdf/hr5704final.pdf The bill has 43 original cosponsors -- a complete list can be viewed at http://www.sdms.org/pdf/hr5704cosponsors.pdf



	8. Federal Grants Available for Community-Based Job Training Programs Sonography educational programs may be eligible for new federal grants. The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), has announced the availability of approximately $125 million in grant funds for Community-Based Job Training Grants. Community-Based Job Training Grants will be awarded through a competitive process to support workforce training for high-growth/high-demand industries through the national system of community and technical colleges. The primary purpose of these grants is to build the capacity of community colleges to train workers to develop the skills required to succeed in local or regional: (i) industries and occupations that are expected to experience high-growth and (ii) industries where demand for qualified workers is outstripping the supply. Funds will be awarded to individual community and technical colleges, community college districts, state community college systems, and One-Stop Career Centers to support or engage in a combination of capacity building and training activities for the purpose of building the capacity of community colleges to train for careers in high-growth/high-demand industries in the local and/or regional economies. An exception is provided for rural areas and other communities that are educationally underserved due to their lack of access to community or technical colleges. Sonography educational programs should review the July 3rd Federal Register to determine if they are eligible (application deadline is August 29, 2006): http://www.doleta.gov/sga/sga/DOL-SGA-DFA-PY-05-11.pdf



	9. Thank a Mentor Today! The SDMS would like to pass on the following message posted in the SDMS Discussion Forums: This week I received a phone call from an alumni of our program (Class of 1990.) I knew where she was and had seen her off and on, so the call was not completely "out of the blue." However, the message was a surprise. She had called to thank me for being a role model to her. It was a powerful reminder to me that everything we say and do is being absorbed by our students and they are likely to remember it long into the future. It also gave me pause to reflect on and thank a few people who were role models to me. So, I'd like to challenge you to "pass it on" and take a minute today to reflect back and call or e-mail someone who was a role model or mentor to you. ~ Katie Kuntz



	10. Thank You From Delgado Community College Sonography Program As a result of the outpouring of support from the sonography community, Delgado Community College in New Orleans has received over 200 books from all over the country, and just recently, a printer. The SDMS and Delgado Community College would like to thank everyone who donated books and equipment to help Delgado Community College recover from the effects of Hurricane Katrina.



	11. 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 Transcutaneous Ultrasound May Cure Solitary Testicular Cancer http://www.ardms.org/newswire/07242006/07242006.htm#Transcutaneous IL-6, Carotid Plaques Predict Mortality in Elderly http://www.ardms.org/newswire/07102006/07102006.htm#IL Using Ultrasound Technology Inside Arteries http://wcco.com/health/local_story_205224303.html Obesity Hinders Medical Scans, Attribute Researchers http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/7825.html China Scraps Move to Criminalize Gender Selection http://www.ardms.org/newswire/07032006/07032006.htm#China

12. Important Dates

July 31	SDMS Educational Foundation Scholarship deadline
July 31	SDMS Educational Foundation CME Grants deadline
August 11	2006 SDMS Annual Conference Early Bird Registration deadline
Oct 12 - 15	2006 SDMS Annual Conference, Denver, Colorado
November 30	SDMS Educational Foundation Scholarship deadline



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