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Re: no subject received Wed, 16 Oct 2002 14:56:28 -0500From: Karen Roersma (kroersmardms@netscape.net)Tue Oct 22 13:51:30 2002
At Tue, 22 Oct 2002, Terry J. DuBose wrote: > >Folks, have any of you seen this Web site? One of my students found it. > >First Look Sonogram >210 Avenue I. Ste C. [ http://www.firstlooksonogram.com/directions.html ]Map >Redondo Beach, CA 90277 > >http://www.firstlooksonogram.com/pricing.asp < break > >My students are asking about the ethics of this, and "Why are they allowed to do it?". This is very difficult because the students can see the pricing, the fact that they only schedule 5 days a week, no call back, and, most importantly, they don't have to answer to an irascible or surly physician! This type of business is very attractive to many sonographers. > >Is the FDA doing nothing about this? If they do not, I fear we will see sonographers leaving the ranks of mainstream medicine in droves so that they can simply control their own working hours, if not for the money. > >This particular site even posts the fetal images, by name! Take that HIPAA!!! Terry, These people have paid $25 for their images to be listed on the website. I doubt there's any confidentiality violation there. Also, I think that you've been running on both sides of the issue. You have recently taken the "if you can't beat them, let's join them" argument in that you've advocated that only REGISTERED sonographers be allowed to perform these entertainment sonograms. In doing so, you have indeed raised the issue of sonographers attending DMS school and passing the registry only to venture out into the entertainment sonography business. Why should they work at the hard stuff when they can have fun and make lots of money at the same time? Personally, I think it would be a big mistake to allow only RDMSers to open such a business. Registry does not ensure quality or patient safety. Neither does having a physician on board, because there is no system in place to check for qualifications IN SONOGRAPHY there, either. The smart thing to do would be to shut them down entirely, until a plan can be put into place. Diagnostic ultrasound should clean its own house, as well. The registry requirements could be tightened up and interpreting physicians should have to show proficiency in ultrasound, but that's another argument for another thread. Look at what's going on in other areas of medicine. Botox parties are being held in peoples' homes ala Tupperware parties! Obstetricians are opening "Women's Aesthetics Centers" and performing microdermabrasion, laser hair removal, etc. Scary, because most people would never consider going to a dermatologist for delivery of a baby. You can get laser hair removal done by someone who has had only one day of in-service just about anywhere! And patients have to be careful that they use a board-certified plastic surgeon, not a cosmetic surgeon, because any doctor can claim to do cosmetic surgery, but there's only one certifying group, and it's the plastic surgery board. Yes, the FDA has their hands full, and Pandora's box is open. But the FDA has to listen if the complaints keep rolling in. And those complaints should be backed up with facts, especially about bioeffects and safety. Also frustrated, Karen Roersma, RDMS
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