Action | Licensure of radiologist assistants |
Stage | Proposed |
Comment Period | Ended on 2/4/2011 |
I strongly support the regulations for Radiologist Assistant licensure as proposed. The Virginia Chapter, American College of Radiology worked long and hard with the General Assembly to get the licensing legislation passed. At no time during the House and Senate subcommittee or committee hearings for this legislation did the RPA community make any comments before the legislature to register their concerns, and it's a bit too late now to try to set the clock back.
Furthermore, the law and proposed legislation deal ONLY with licensing of the Radiologist Assistant. There is NOTHING in the law or regulations that would prohibit RPA's (or Nurse Practioners or any other physician extenders) from doing what they do now. If the RPA community wants to be licensed, regulated, and LIMITED in their practice like the RA's are by this law and regulations, go ahead and have licensing legislation introduced. I can tell you from personal experience that the process is tedious and requires a lot of time, energy, and funding.