Promote, Enhance, Defend: The Importance of Advocacy in Medical Imaging

Jessyca B. Wagner, PhD, R.T.(R)(ARRT)®, CIIP*

^*Diagnostic Imaging Educator, Clover Learning; Adjunct Professor, Radiologic Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, and North Central Texas College, Gainesville, TX.

Address correspondence to: Jessyca B. Wagner, PhD, R.T.(R)(ARRT)^®, CIIP, E-mail: jessyca@cwelite.com

Disclosure statement: The author reports having no significant financial or advisory relationships with corporate organizations related to this activity.

ABSTRACT

Advocacy is an important part of professional practice, particularly for radiologic technologists (RTs) and radiation therapists. Despite being one of the largest healthcare professions in the United States, these professionals face constant issues with licensure and scope of practice encroachment. It is important for RTs and radiation therapists to become advocates for their patients and their profession to ensure safety, high-quality patient care, and increased professional standards. For patients, RTs and radiation therapists can ensure that imaging studies and other imaging and therapeutic procedures are medically necessary and coded correctly for reimbursement, as well as remind patients of their rights. Professionally, RTs and radiation therapists must promote licensure in all states to ensure consistency in care and radiation safety practices, protect the field from encroachment by noncertified personnel, and educate the public about medical imaging and radiation therapy. Radiologic technologists and radiation therapists can become advocates through education, involvement, and visibility. Becoming an advocate not only strengthens those in the profession, but their patients as well. This course will address and discuss professional advocacy in radiologic imaging for patients as well as RTs and radiation therapists. Steps that RTs and therapists can take to effectively advocate for their patients and colleagues, both on a state and national level, will be outlined.