State convenes task force to address radiologic technologist shortages

Connecticut has convened a statewide task force to address technologist shortages in radiology and nuclear medicine. 

The group met for the third time on Monday, Sept. 16, charged with reviewing workforce development issues and delivering a report by January. Bernadette Mele, MBA, a clinical professor and chair of diagnostic imaging at Quinnipiac University, is co-chairing the effort alongside Matthew Green, a nurse manager with Eastern Connecticut Health Network. 

Speakers suggested solutions such as conducting job fairs, placing advertisements and building partnerships between healthcare employers and local educational programs. 

“What we found from our technologists is that there’s a lack of awareness of what they do and how they get their training,” Green said, according to a recap written by WSHU public radio. “So, they were saying even in their career paths, they fell into it by knowing someone in the path.”

Mele believes part of the issue is there are lots of students but not enough institutions to train them. She is suggesting solutions such as forgiving student loans, lowering the cost of licensing and raising salaries to boost the talent pipeline. 

“That’s the bottleneck on the radiologic technologist side. Eight programs, all at capacity and overcapacity, but nowhere to place the students,” she said. 

Connecticut Speaker of the House Matthew Ritter appointed Mele to the task force last year. She further discussed the shortage in an interview published last October, noting that the COVID-19 pandemic helped fuel these hiring challenges. 

“The shortage is not just specific to Connecticut. It’s all over the place,” Mele told the Quinnipiac Chronicle. “It has to be a fix that’s sustainable and I think that is going to require many other bodies than us. We’re the first step.”

You can view a video recording of the meeting here. The task force also previously met in July.