Pennsylvania may soon require medical imaging professionals to obtain state licensure
Pennsylvania is one step closer to enacting legislation that would require medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals to acquire state licensure to operate radiation-producing equipment.
State lawmakers this week passed Senate Bill 1334, requiring these professionals to complete medical and safety training to work in radiologic technology and radiation therapy. It would ensure that radiography, nuclear medicine, diagnostic sonography, MRI, CT, radiation therapy and radiology assistant professionals adhere to strict competency and continuing education requirements.
The Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Health and Safety Act is sponsored by Sens. Nick Pisciottano (D) and Lynda Schlegel Culver (R). It passed the Senate on June 30 in a 45-5 vote.
“Patients should have confidence that the professionals performing their medical imaging have met education, training and competency standards,” Sen. Pisciottano said in a statement on the bill. ” As the medical imaging technology used to diagnose and treat patients becomes more advanced, it is important that the standards governing the professionals who operate that equipment evolve as well. This legislation strengthens patient safety and recognizes the professionalism and expertise of the healthcare workers who provide these services every day.”
“This bill does not create an additional exam, require additional schooling or place unnecessary new hurdles in front of qualified professionals,” Sen. Culver added. “It creates a uniform and enforceable standard that protects patients, provides clarity for employers and supports the professionals already doing this important work.”
Pennsylvania is one of just a small handful of states that does not already have dedicated state licensure requirements for medical imaging professionals. The bill will now head to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for consideration.
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In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.