[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 33 (Thursday, March 17, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E508-E509]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    INTRODUCING THE CONSUMER ASSURANCE OF RADIOLOGIC EXCELLENCE BILL

                                 ______
                                 

                   HON. CHARLES W. ``CHIP'' PICKERING

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 17, 2005

  Mr. PICKERING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Consumer 
Assurance of Radiologic Excellence Bill.
  I ask for your support in moving this legislation forward. The CARE 
bill is an important piece of patient-care legislation. It will improve 
the quality of radiologic procedures performed throughout the United 
States as well as assist in reducing the cost incurred by the Federal 
government for these procedures.
  The CARE bill in the 108th Congress had 111 bi-partisan House 
cosponsors and no known opposition. Passage of this bill will finally 
provide American patients with national standards to ensure that their 
radiologic procedures are performed by personnel who are trained, 
qualified and competent.
  I am proud to sponsor this legislation because the safety and quality 
of radiologic procedures is an issue that affects all of us. Every 
year, more than 300 million x-rays, CT scans, MRIs and other medical 
imaging exams are performed in the United States, and seven out of 10 
people undergo some type of radiologic procedure. So much depends upon 
the quality and accuracy of those examinations. After all, if an x-ray 
is poor, there is a chance that injuries could go undetected or 
diseases could go undiagnosed.
  Most of us take it for granted that the person performing our 
radiologic procedures is a competent professional. But the fact is, 
poorly trained individuals examine and treat thousands of patients in 
this country every day.
  The CARE bill will help correct that problem. You see, one of the 
best ways to assure quality radiologic procedures is to require a basic 
level of education and skill for the people responsible for performing 
these procedures.
  The CARE bill would provide this level of assurance by amending a 
previous law, known as the Consumer-Patient Radiation Health and Safety 
Act of 1981. Twenty-two years ago, this bill established minimum 
standards for the education, certification and licensure of radiologic 
technologists. However, when the bill was enacted, compliance by the 
states was made voluntary rather than mandatory. As a result, 
radiographers in 13 states and the District of Columbia are 
unregulated. Even in states that license radiologic technologists, laws 
vary so widely that there is no guarantee that personnel are adequately 
educated to use the equipment with which they have been entrusted
  Under the CARE bill, personnel performing radiologic procedures in 
every state would be required to meet minimum educational and 
credentialing standards. Each state would then be responsible for 
regulating radiologic technologists according to those standards.
  The current lack of a national standard for operators of medical 
imaging and radiation therapy equipment poses a hazard to American 
patients and jeopardizes quality health care. Accurate diagnosis can be 
provided only when personnel are properly educated in anatomy, 
technique, equipment operation and radiation safety.
  In states where no regulation exists, anyone is permitted to perform 
medical imaging and radiation therapy procedures, sometimes after just 
a few weeks of on-the-job training. But performing a CT scan or taking 
an x-ray involves much more than just pushing a button. The person 
responsible for performing the exam uses highly technical equipment 
that emits radiation.
  The CARE bill will help ensure that quality radiation therapy 
treatments are delivered and that quality diagnostic information is 
presented for interpretation, which will lead to accurate diagnosis, 
treatment and cure. Poor quality exams can lead to additional testing, 
delays in treatment, and unnecessary anxiety for the patient. In the 
end, the public's health is at stake. An underexposed chest x-ray 
cannot reveal pneumonia, and an inaccurate radiation therapy treatment 
cannot stop the spread of cancer.
  This legislation will also reduce health care costs by lowering the 
number of medical imaging examinations that must be repeated due to

[[Page E509]]

improper positioning or poor technique. Repeated imaging examinations 
cost the U.S. health care system millions of dollars annually in 
needless medical bills.
  Millions of Americans every year depend upon medical imaging exams to 
diagnose disease and detect injury, and thousands more rely on 
radiation therapy to treat and cure their cancers. But remember, any 
radiologic procedure is only as effective as the person performing it. 
No matter how expensive or sophisticated the equipment, an imaging exam 
will not reveal a broken bone or a diseased organ if the person who is 
using that equipment does not know the basics of radiographic 
positioning, exposure and technique.
  By regulating the personnel responsible for performing those 
procedures, the CARE bill will mean improved care for patients--higher 
quality images, improved accuracy, and less exposure to radiation.
  I urge all my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to support this 
legislation and enact it in a timely manner so American patients will 
receive the best care possible, provided by the best caregivers 
possible.

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