At some point, every private practitioner will have to consider how successful his or her business is at that moment. Growing a medical practice requires efficiency and specialization, which can only be achieved with enough volume. Increasing the volume that your practice can handle will require working with people who have the right skills to service your patients.
As ultrasound increasingly becomes a major diagnostic tool for private gynecology practices, hiring a diagnostic medical sonographer to assist with patient load is a key consideration. If hired into the right practice, diagnostic medical sonographers can offer physicians a chance to grow, branch into other areas of healthcare and increase the quality patient care while boosting company profits.
The Diagnostic Medical Sonographer's Role
In Canada, Australia and the U.S., the medical sonographer's role is to perform ultrasound scans, document observations and communicate them with physicians. Sonographers may be generalists or specialize in obstetrics and gynecology, cardiac, vascular or other sonography subspecialties.
In the jurisdictions that regulate the profession, sonographers are required to be officially licensed with a specific registry, board or government department. In Oregon, for example, sonographers must be licensed by the Oregon Board of Medical Imaging. In New Mexico, the Environment Department is responsible for administering the sonographer licensure program, according to the Ultrasound Technician Center.
Diagnostic medical sonographers are unregulated in all other U.S. states. Most employers prefer to hire sonographers who have been professionally certified by the American Registry for Diagnostic Sonography (ARDMS), the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) or Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI). These organizations require sonographers to obtain various qualifications, complete exams, re-register regularly and fulfill continuing education requirements.
The Benefits of Hiring a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
Ultrasound has become a very common and in-demand examination method. This increased demand can lead to capacity problems for physicians. According to Physicians Practice, staffing is a critical component to the success of an expanded medical business. Hiring knowledgeable professionals who can teach you or competently take over responsibility for a component of your business is a major benefit.
A qualified and experienced sonographer is able to:
- Organize and perform standardized ultrasound exams;
- Work with physicians during special procedures;
- Analyze technical information;
- Make patients comfortable and ease worries about exams by answering questions about the procedure;
- Use independent judgment and recognize the need to extend the scope of an examination according to patient history or new findings; and
- Ensure that each ultrasound is done correctly and thoroughly.
When an experienced diagnostic medical sonographer joins a practice, he or she allows physicians to spend more time on other complex tasks. This specialization of skills contributes to the overall efficiency and success of the business.
Hiring an experienced, knowledgeable and competent medical sonographer who can manage a service, share his or her expertise, and train others is a crucial step toward building a successful practice. These professionals can help grow a practice without requiring additional, more expensive specialists.
When the skills of a sonographer are put to good use, they ensure that all aspects of the sonography process run smoothly, enabling the practice to expand efficiently into a specialized area and grow into a successful business.
