Both the CMRTO and the Ontario Association of Medical Radiation Sciences (OAMRS) support HPRAC’s recommendation, and believe it is in the public interest that diagnostic medical sonographers be regulated with CMRTO.
While the government has not yet indicated whether it will accept HPRAC’s advice, the CMRTO governing Council recognized that extensive preparation will be required should the government proceed with the regulation of diagnostic medical sonographers.
To this end, the Council assembled a committee of experts—the Sonography Implementation Group (SIG)—to analyze the current practice, education and certification of sonographers and to recommend changes that may be needed to the CMRTO’s name, policies, structure and regulatory instruments to accommodate the addition of diagnostic medical sonographers.
The Sonography Implementation Group included six CMRTO Council members (Bronwen Baylis, Wendy Rabbie, Elaine Bremer, Dina Longo, Sandra Upton and Martin Ward), the CMRTO Registrar and three directors (Linda Gough, Caroline Morris, Annette Hornby and Tina Langlois), two representatives of the OAMRS (Greg Toffner and Ray Lappalainen), two Sonography Canada representatives (Cathy Babiak and Tom Hayward), a representative of the Ontario Association of Radiology Managers (Jim Fedoryshin), a manager of an independent health facility (Colleen Taylor), three practicing sonographers (Kim Boles, Zani Dhalla, Kim Jozkow) and two diagnostic medical sonography educators (Christine Gardin and Lori Koziol).
Between February 10, 2016 and May 30, 2016 the group developed proposals for amendments to the Medical Radiation Technology Act including the scope of practice statement, authorized acts and protected titles. And it recommended changes to:
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CMRTO regulations governing registration, quality assurance and professional misconduct
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The CMRTO Standards of Practice
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The structure of the CMRTO Council and electoral districts
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The definition of approved educational programs
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The professional certification examination
The group’s report on these recommendations was submitted to the CMRTO Council at its meeting on June 17, 2016.
“On behalf of the CMRTO and the profession, I want to express my deepest gratitude to the members of the committee and their organizations for their work over the past five months in developing 27 recommendations that will enable the CMRTO to implement the government’s directions should that come to pass,” said Bronwen Baylis, CMRTO Council president and chair of the SIG.
Added CMRTO Registrar and CEO Linda Gough: “The government will decide whether sonographers will be regulated under Ontario’s Regulated Health Professions Act, and CMRTO looks forward to working with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to continue to ensure the protection of the public.”
For more information, please contact:
Linda Gough
416.975.4353
lgough@cmrto.org
