What do tattoo artists, boxing referees, real estate appraisers, massage therapists, and interior designers have in common?
Each is a profession with statewide licensing requirements in Missouri — unlike the medical workers who administer radiation in Missouri, including in the emergency room from X-ray equipment or radiation therapy at the cancer treatment center.
Missouri is one of only three states that have no statewide training or licensing requirements for radiologic technologists, leaving oversight in the hands of individual facilities and equipment owners and operators while risking patient safety.
It’s past time for our state lawmakers to fix this shortcoming.
There are many places in Missouri where medical patients can expect to be treated by a radiologic technologist with at least two years of training. These professionals know to limit the amount of radiation you are exposed to during a medical procedure. These highly trained professionals know the exposure parameters needed to acquire a quality imaging study to provide your physician with the information they need to help you.
However, in many smaller hospitals and doctor offices across Missouri, the person at the front desk who asks for your insurance card may also be the person who takes your X-rays.
Allow me to share one such example from my own 30-plus year career as a radiologic technologist in Sedalia.
The 6-year-old girl and her parents arrived at our hospital on a Monday morning, visibly distraught over the invasive bronchoscopy that would determine if she had lung cancer — a test ordered after an unlicensed X-ray at an area doctor’s office detected a large mass on the patient’s chest.
That “mass” turned out be a protruding decoration on the child’s puffy sweatshirt; the untrained X-ray technician didn’t know to have the young patient wear a hospital gown instead of her street clothes. Nor did the untrained secretary bother to take sideview scans to further determine if this alleged growth was potentially cancerous.
After proper imaging, that little girl’s lungs were crystal clear. But why did this child have to be unnecessarily exposed to more radiation, and her family endure the emotional turmoil of not knowing whether their kindergartner was going to die?
Having radiology services where needed is key to high-quality health care. I do not want to prohibit smaller health care clinics and hospitals from performing this vital service. But all Missourians deserve access to the well-trained, properly educated radiologic technologists who meet accepted national and international industry standards.
Growing up and living in rural communities, I know from experience that radiology services are essential. I provided such services myself as well as utilized them for my own family. Education should be required for any personnel who are currently providing radiology imaging, even in these rural areas. With 47 other states having more stringent policies in place, there’s no shortage of available education resources, including online.
Our legislature considered such enhanced oversight for the past six years but failed to act. Some have suggested that state licensing would be a detriment to potential workers entering the field of radiology. But what about the harm that can be done if medical imaging is performed by individuals who are not properly trained?
If you are concerned about safe medical procedures while you or your loved ones need radiology or radiation therapy services in Missouri, please contact your state lawmaker to ask for their support of state regulatory requirements for X-ray operators in Missouri.
Donita Shipman is a retired radiologic technologist and former treasurer of the Missouri Society of Radiologic Technologists. She lives in Sedalia.
