WSR 17-09-043 PROPOSED RULES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH [Filed April 14, 2017, 4:48 p.m.]
Original Notice.
Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 15-05-055.
Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: WAC 246-926-140, 246-926-145, 246-926-310 and 246-926-410, radiologic technology, proposing establishing military equivalency of training or experience in meeting credentialing standards.
Hearing Location(s): Department of Health, Town Center 2 (TC2), Room 145, 111 Israel Road S.E., Tumwater, WA 98501, on May 26, 2017, at 9:30 a.m.
Date of Intended Adoption: June 9, 2017.
Submit Written Comments to: Susan Gragg, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-7852, email https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/policyreview, fax (360) 236-2901, by May 26, 2017.
Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Susan Gragg by May 19, 2017, TTY (800) 833-6388 or 711.
Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: The department is proposing amendments to rules to address the military education and training equivalency specific to the regulated imaging professions.
Reasons Supporting Proposal: In 2011, the legislature allowed military training or experience to satisfy credentialing requirements for health care professions unless a health profession regulatory entity determines that it is not substantially equivalent to Washington licensure standards (SSB 5307, chapter 32, Laws of 2011). The proposed rules are intended to reduce barriers and clarify requirements for applicants who have prior military training and experience in radiologic technology occupations that is substantially equivalent to certain regulations for obtaining a comparable department credential.
Statute Being Implemented: RCW 18.84.095.
Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.
Name of Proponent: Department of health, governmental.
Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting, Implementation, and Enforcement: Susan Gragg, 111 Israel Road S.E., Tumwater, WA 98501, (360) 236-4941.
No small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW. The proposed rule would not impose more than minor costs on businesses in an industry.
A cost-benefit analysis is required under RCW 34.05.328. A preliminary cost-benefit analysis may be obtained by contacting Susan Gragg, Department of Health, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-7852, phone (360) 236-4941, fax (360) 236-2901, email susan.gragg@doh.wa.gov.
April 14, 2017
John Wiesman, DrPH, MPH
Secretary
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 10-10-043, filed 4/27/10, effective 5/28/10)
WAC 246-926-140 Approved schools for diagnostic, therapeutic, or nuclear medicine radiologic technologists.
(1) Approved schools and standards of instruction for diagnostic radiologic technologist, therapeutic radiologic technologist, and nuclear medicine technologist are those recognized as radiography, radiation therapy technology, and nuclear medicine technology educational programs that have obtained accreditation from the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology, the Joint Review Committee for Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology or the former American Medical Association Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation.
(2) Military education, training, and experience may meet certification requirements as outlined in WAC 246-926-145.
NEW SECTION
WAC 246-926-145 Military equivalency.
(1) The department accepts military education, training, or experience as described in subsections (4) through (8) of this section as meeting the corresponding education, training, or experience requirements.
(2) For the purposes of this section, these terms shall have the following meaning:
(a) "ARRT" has the same meaning as WAC 246-926-020(1).
(b) "CAAHEP" means the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs and includes its prior organization, the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation (CAHEA).
(c) "JRCCVT" means the Joint Review Committee on Education in Cardiovascular Technology.
(d) "JRCERT" means the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology.
(e) "JRCNMT" means the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology.
(f) "METC" means the Department of Defense, Defense Health Agency, Medical Education and Training Campus.
(g) "NMTCB" means the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board.
(3) Acceptable documentation to verify radiologic technology education, training, and experience for current or former U.S. Military service members includes:
(a) A copy of the service member's Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214, Member-4 copy; or NGB-22 for National Guard);
(b) Joint Service Transcript or JST/Sailor-Marine American Council on Education Registry Transcript or SMART;
(c) Army American Council of Education, or ACE, Registry Transcript System or AARTS;
(d) Application for the Evaluation of Learning Experiences During Military Service (DD Form 295) certified by the service member's service branch; or
(e) Any other military transcripts and forms that document the service member's military training and experience, such as the Community College of the Air Force or CCAF.
(4) For diagnostic-radiographer radiologic technologists, the following are the acceptable military education, training, or experience:
(a)(i) The METC Tri Service Radiology program has been JRCERT accredited since 2011 and meets the school approval requirement in WAC 246-926-140;
(ii) Formal pre-METC U.S. Army, Navy, or Air Force radiologic technologist diagnostic-radiographer education programs have been determined by the department to meet the requirements in WAC 246-926-110;
(iii) Informal U.S. Army, Navy, or Air Force radiologic technologist diagnostic-radiographer education programs, such as U.S. Navy on-the-job training commonly referred to as "fast track," must meet all the requirements in WAC 246-926-110; or
(iv) The secretary will review U.S. Coast Guard education, training, and experience on a case-by-case basis to determine if training and scope of practice meets the requirements in WAC 246-926-110.
(b) All applicants applying under (a) of this subsection must provide proof of successful passage of the ARRT radiographer radiologic technologist examination or the Washington state examination identified in WAC 246-926-190, with the exception of those applicants who completed a pre-METC program that was accredited by the JRCERT at the time the applicant completed it.
(5) For therapeutic-radiation therapy radiologic technologists, the following are the acceptable military education, training, or experience:
(a)(i) As of the effective date of this rule, METC does not offer a therapeutic radiologic technologist education program. Formal pre-METC U.S. Army, Navy, or Air Force therapeutic radiologic technologist education programs have been determined by the department to meet the requirements in WAC 246-926-120;
(ii) Informal U.S. Army, Navy, or Air Force therapeutic radiologic technologist education programs must meet all the requirements in WAC 246-926-120; or
(iii) The department will review U.S. Coast Guard education, training, and experience on a case-by-case basis to determine if training and scope of practice meets the requirements in WAC 246-926-120.
(b) All applicants applying under (a) of this subsection must provide proof of successful passage of the ARRT therapeutic radiologic technologist examination or the Washington state examination identified in WAC 246-926-190.
(6) For nuclear medicine radiologic technologists, the following are the acceptable military education, training, or experience:
(a)(i) As of the effective date of this rule, METC does not offer a JRCNMT accredited nuclear medicine radiologic technologist education program. Formal pre-METC U.S. Army, Navy, or Air Force radiologic technologist nuclear medicine programs completed from June 1, 1972, through August 31, 2012, meets the school approval requirement in WAC 246-926-140;
(ii) The METC nuclear medicine radiologic technologist education program is accredited by the ARRT. The department has determined this program meets the requirements in WAC 246-926-130;
(iii) Nonaccredited formal nuclear medicine education programs not identified in subsection (4)(a) of this section has been determined by the department to meet the requirements in WAC 246-926-130;
(iv) Informal U.S. Army, Navy, or Air Force radiologic technologist nuclear medicine education programs must meet all the requirements in WAC 246-926-130; or
(v) The department will review U.S. Coast Guard education, training, and experience on a case-by-case basis to determine if training and scope of practice meets the requirements in WAC 246-926-130.
(b) All applicants applying under (a) of this subsection must provide proof of successful passage of the NMTCB examination, the ARRT nuclear medicine radiologic technologist examination, or the Washington state examination identified in WAC 246-926-190.
(7) For cardiovascular invasive specialists, the following are acceptable military education, training, or experience:
(a)(i) The METC cardiovascular technologist program is CAAHEP accredited, which includes JRCCVT accreditation, and meets the school approval requirement in WAC 246-926-410. Formal pre-METC U.S. Army, Navy, or Air Force cardiovascular technologist education programs that were accredited by CAAHEP, which includes its prior organization CAHEA, also meet the school approval requirement in WAC 246-926-410;
(ii) Formal pre-METC U.S. Army, Navy, or Air Force cardiovascular technologist education programs that were not accredited by CAAHEP or CAHEA have been determined by the department to meet the requirements in WAC 246-926-410 (1)(a);
(iii) Informal U.S. Army, Navy, or Air Force cardiovascular technologist education programs, such as on-the-job U.S. Navy training commonly referred to as "fast track," must meet all the requirements in WAC 246-926-410 (1)(a) and (b); or
(b) The department will review U.S. Coast Guard education, training, and experience on a case-by-case basis to determine if training and scope of practice meets the requirements in WAC 246-926-410.
(c) All applicants applying under (a) of this subsection must provide proof of successful passage of an examination identified in WAC 246-926-410 (1)(b) or (2).
(8) Radiologist assistant. There is currently no radiologist assistant-equivalent occupation in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, or Coast Guard. The department will review an individual's military training and experience record on a case-by-case basis; however, individuals who have obtained a passing score on the ARRT registered radiologist assistant examination shall be considered to have met the education and training requirements for certification as a radiologist assistant.
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 10-10-043, filed 4/27/10, effective 5/28/10)
WAC 246-926-310 What are the requirements to be certified as a radiologist assistant?
(1) Individuals wanting to be certified as a radiologist assistant must:
(a) Graduate from an educational program recognized by the ARRT;
(b) Obtain a passing score on the national ARRT registered radiologist assistant examination; and
(c) Submit the application, supporting documents, and fees to the department of health.
(2) An individual certified as a radiologist practitioner assistant through the certification board of radiology practitioner assistants who takes and passes the national ARRT registered radiologist assistant examination by December 31, 2011, shall be considered to have met the education and examination requirements for certification as a radiologist assistant.
(3) Military education, training, and experience may meet certification requirements as outlined in WAC 246-926-145.
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 12-10-094, filed 5/2/12, effective 5/3/12)
WAC 246-926-410 Requirements for cardiovascular invasive specialist certification.
(1) Applicants for certification as a cardiovascular invasive specialist must meet the following requirements:
(a) Graduate from an educational program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) utilizing the standards and criteria established by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Cardiovascular Technology (JRC-CVT); and
(b) Obtain a passing score on the national Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS) examination administered by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI).
(2) Individuals who have been certified or registered with one of the following national organizations shall be considered to have met the education and training requirements:
(a) CCI through the RCIS examination;
(b) CCI through the Registered Cardiac Electrophysiology Specialist (RCES) examination;
(c) Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) through the International Board of Heart Rhythm Examiners (IBHRE), formerly the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology (NASPE) examination; or
(d) ARRT through the Cardiac Interventional Radiographer (RTR-CI) post-primary examination, the Vascular Interventional Radiographer (RTR-VI) post-primary examination, or the Cardiovascular Interventional Radiographer (RTR-CV) post-primary examination.
(3) Military education, training, and experience may meet certification requirements as outlined in WAC 246-926-145.
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