ACR Supports VA Rule to Maintain Physician-Supervised Imaging Care

The American College of Radiology (ACR) commends the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for opting not to grant advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) authority to perform, supervise and interpret medical imaging exams.

The ACR strongly urged the VA to take this action. We thank the VA for acting on our input and for recognizing “the outstanding work performed by radiologists in (the VA) system.”

APRNs are highly qualified medical professionals. The ACR commends APRNs for the outstanding work they do on behalf of our nation’s veterans. However, APRN and radiologist skillsets are different.

The safe and appropriate performance of imaging exams, many of which use radiation, depends on expert radiological technologists with oversight of uniquely trained radiologists and medical physicists.

Accurate diagnosis and treatment of disease and injury commonly depends on proper interpretation of imaging exams by highly trained radiologist physicians.

The ACR commends the VA for maintaining a collaborative, integrated, physician-supervised approach to imaging care.

James A. Brink, MD, FACR, chair, American College of Radiology Board of Chancellors