Tennesse

AN INDIVIDUAL MUST HAVE EITHER ARRT-BD OR A LIMITED RADIOLOGICAL CERTIFICATION IN BONE DENSITY WHICH REQUIRES PASSING THE ARRT BONE DENSITOMETRY EQUIPMENT OPERATORS EXAM WITH A SCORE OF AT LEAST 65% AND SATISFIED THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS LISTED IN SECTION 0880-5-.11. See Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners, Division of Radiological Health

0880-5-.11 BONE DENSITOMETRY.
All persons unless otherwise exempted who operate bone densitometry equipment in Tennessee must comply with the following:
(1) Fees – The same fees contained in rule 0880-5-.02 shall apply to individuals under this rule.
(2) Exemptions – The same persons exempted pursuant to rule 0880-5-.03 are exempted from the provisions of this rule.
(3) Qualifications for Certification –
(a) To be eligible for a limited radiological certification in bone densitometry a person must meet the following minimum qualifications:
1. Be at least eighteen (18) years of age; and
2. Possess a high school diploma or a GED certificate; and
3. Be of good moral character; and
4. Be free from physical or mental impairment which would interfere with the performance of duties or otherwise constitute a hazard to the health and safety of patients; and
5. Cause to have submitted verification of attendance and successful completion of a Board-approved radiological certification training course; and
6. Have successfully completed the Board-approved examination pursuant to subparagraph (4) (f) of this rule; and
7. Cause to be submitted to the Board’s administrative office directly from the vendor identified in the Board’s licensure application materials, the result of a criminal background check; and
8. Have made application for certification pursuant to Rule 0880-5-.07 and paid all fees.
(b) Any person who holds a radiological certificate issued by another state obtained pursuant to standards and procedures substantially equivalent to the standards set by these rules may receive a certification at the Board’s discretion.
(c) Any person who now holds a limited certification issued by the Board may receive limited certification upgrade in bone densitometry without compliance with the provisions of paragraphs (4) (b) through (d) of this rule.
(d) Any person who has successfully completed the course described in rule 0880-5-.05 (2)(a) and has not applied for any limited certification from the Board may receive limited certification in bone densitometry without compliance with the provisions of paragraphs (4) (b) through (d) of this rule.
(4) Educational Course, Approval and Curriculum for Certification –
(a) Course approval under this rule shall be governed by rule 0880-5-.05 (1) and (3).
(b) The Basic Course – Defined as the core, theory of foundation education basic to operation of bone densitometry equipment. This basic course shall include, but not be limited to: radiation protection & safety; principles of exposure of bone densitometry scanning machines; patient care; and anatomy of long bones and spine, including construction of bone, destruction of bone, and measurement of bone mass.
(c) Course approval shall be based upon the level of radiological education obtainable through the program courses. This course shall consist of twenty-four (24) clock hours.
(d) Completion of this basic course will not qualify anyone for limited certification in any body area other than bone densitometry.
(e) All applicants must have machine specific training according to the following:
1. The applicant must receive training on the same type machine that (s)he will be operating.
2. This machine-specific training may be done by the Manufacturer (or authorized representative) or by a person holding a Certificate in Bone Densitometry and who has received machine-specific training by the Manufacturer on the appropriate machine.
3. The machine-specific training shall include, but not be limited to: Identification of machine components; Operation of machine; Exposure doses for various scans from the machine; Positioning for each scan procedure; Adjusting for errors; Image Acquisitions; Reference Databases; Quality Control Procedures.
4. All training must result in a Statement of Training being signed by the Manufacturer (or authorized representative) or by a person holding a Certificate in Bone Densitometry and who has received machine-specific training by the Manufacturer on the appropriate machine. The Statement of Training shall be issued to the trainee, and sent to the Board’s Administrative Office.
(f) Examination
1. All applicants must provide proof of having successfully completed the A.R.R.T.’s Limited Bone Densitometry Equipment Operators Examination.
2. An applicant will be deemed to have successfully completed the A.R.R.T.’s Limited Bone Densitometry Equipment Operators Examination upon correctly answering sixty-five percent (65%) of all questions contained on the examination.
(g) Clinical bone scanning must be supervised by a licensed physician.
(h) The clinical training obtained pursuant to this rule cannot be utilized as clinical training hours in qualification for limited certification in any other body areas.
(i) The following rules apply to certifications applied for and issued pursuant to this rule and are enforceable as if fully set out herein:
1. Rule 0880-5-.06 (3) and (4); and
2. Rule 0880-5-.07; and
3. Rule 0880-5-.08; and
4. Rule 0880-5-.09; and
5. Rule 0880-5-.10; and
6. Rule 0880-5-.12.
63-6-224. Regulation of persons operating X-ray equipment.
(a) The board shall have, in regards to operators of X-ray equipment and/or machines in physician offices, the authority, by rules and regulations, to:
(1) Establish and issue limited X-ray certifications to qualified individuals in the areas of densitometry, chest, extremities, skull and/or sinus and lumbar spine;
(2) Establish and issue full X-ray certifications to individuals who hold current and unrestricted national certification from the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists;
(3) Establish the minimum educational courses, curriculum, hours, and standards that are prerequisite to the issuance of the limited certificates;
(4) Select the examination or examinations to be utilized as the board’s limited certification examination or examinations and the prerequisites, if any, for admission to the examination or examinations. The board is authorized to enter into a contract or agreement with the chosen examination service or services or select an intermediary between the board and the examination service or services to process applicants for the examination or examinations;
(5) Establish any other criteria for issuance of limited certificates that are reasonably related to the safe and competent performance of X-ray procedures;
(6) Establish a mechanism for the board accreditation of educational courses that are operating for purposes of qualifying individuals for limited certification and that meet the requirements established pursuant to the rules promulgated under the authority of subdivision (a)(3), and that establish the causes and standards that are grounds for withdrawal of the course accreditation and the mechanism for that withdrawal;
(7) Establish the fees to be paid for application and certification, renewal, and late renewal of certificates and the fees required to be paid for application, renewal, and late renewal of educational course accreditation; and
(8) Establish the required number of hours, types of courses, methods of proving compliance for biennial continuing education for all certificate holders.
(b) The certificates and accreditations issued pursuant to this section must be renewed and may be retired, and reactivated pursuant to the board established procedures. A person holding a certificate issued pursuant to this section may be disciplined for the same causes and under the same procedures as contained in § 63-6-214 for the medical board, and § 63-9-111 for the board of osteopathic examination.
(c) The standards established by the board pursuant to subsection (a) shall be at least as stringent as any mandatory federal standards.
(d) No person shall perform X-ray procedures in a physician’s office without being licensed as a physician or certified by the board pursuant to this section. Persons who have enrolled in a board recognized radiologic training program are exempt from the certification requirements of this section only as to X-ray procedures performed within or under the auspices of the program in which they are enrolled. After completion of the course but while awaiting the first opportunity to sit for the certification examination, but for no more than six (6) months, and for a period of time within which to receive the examination scores, but no more than seventy-five (75) days thereafter, such persons are exempt from the certification requirements of this section.
(e) No X-ray procedures may be performed by any person holding a certificate issued pursuant to this section without:
(1) An order from a physician licensed pursuant to this chapter or an osteopathic physician licensed pursuant to chapter 9 of this title; and
(2) A physician licensed pursuant to this chapter or an osteopathic physician licensed pursuant to chapter 9 of this title exercising full supervision, responsibility and control over the services being provided. The boards is authorized to establish, by rules and regulations, the levels of supervision required of physicians utilizing persons certified pursuant to this section.
(f) “Physician’s office” for purposes of this section means anywhere the practice of medicine as defined in § 63-6-204, or the practice of osteopathy as defined in § 63-9-106, which includes the performance of X-ray procedures contemplated by this section, is being conducted, except where that practice is conducted in or under the auspices of a facility or entity licensed by the department of health’s division of health care facilities. The operation of a business in which X-ray procedures contemplated by this section are performed that is not owned by a physician, group of physicians, medical professional corporation, limited liability medical professional company or an entity or facility licensed by the division of health care facilities is prohibited.