Advocacy
Welcome to the Advocacy Committee section of the OSRT website. We are always looking for fellow technologists to serve on our committee. If you are interested in volunteering, contact the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The Advocacy Committee serves several purposes for the OSRT and technologists in Ohio. We:
- Take the OSRT’s position on all proposed legislation/regulation and practice issues pertinent to the profession.
- Advocate for federal minimum standard legislation.
- Maintain contact with key state and national representatives on all activities pertinent to the profession.
- Monitor the Ohio Medical Board and send representatives when issues impact our profession.
- Provide testimony as needed on proposed legislation/regulation and practice issues pertinent to the profession.
- Represent Ohio technologists at ODH Bureau of Radiation Protection meetings pertinent to our practice.
- Interaction with the ODH on revisions to the Ohio Administrative rules relative to the practice of radiology.
Some of our interactions with the Ohio Department of Health include attending RAC, REC, and Radioactive Materials Committee meetings. Upcoming meetings can be found on the Calendar.
The Radiation Advisory Council (RAC) was established in accordance with section 3748.20 of the Ohio Revised Code. Members of the Radiation Advisory Council are appointed by the governor for five year terms.
Duties of the council include:
- Advising and consulting with the director on the development of rules.
- Advising and consulting with the director concerning the administration, implementation and enforcement of Chapter 3748 of the Ohio Revised Code.
- Advising and consulting with the director in the development of inspection criteria, procedures and guidelines to be used in the radiation control program.
The council establishes committees to focus on specific components of the radiation control program and the rules developed in accordance with Chapter 3748 of the Ohio Revised Code.
There are currently two committees: the Radiation-Generating Equipment Committee (REC) and the Radioactive Materials Committee.For questions related to advocacy and health policy issues, contact OSRT's This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
This summer has been an active one for Radiologic Technologists in Ohio. The OSRT has been very busy acting on your behalf regarding legislative issues which could have impacted the profession in the State of Ohio dramatically. A request from the Ohio Board of Pharmacy to remove the wording "injects contrast material" from the definition of Radiographer was submitted and subsequently placed up for public comment. The Ohio Department of Health received several hundred responses from technologists, professional organizations, health care facilities, radiologist, nurses, and the Ohio Hospital Association. I would like to take this time to thank all of you who took initiative and wrote letters or emails to the ODH. It was absolutely worth the effort! The attorneys at the ODH ultimately found that the wording used was appropriate and the task was within our scope of practice and should not be removed from the statute. It is absolutely imperative that we work to preserve the profession in which we practice. One way to do this is to be included in the BRadiation list serve, a service of the ODH which informs participants of changes, meetings and updates relative to the profession. If you are not currently included on the BRadiation list-serve, I encourage you to sign up now. You can be added to the list-serve by sending an email request to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Involvement with the OSRT, the ASRT, the Care Bill initiative all place you in the position of making the changes that affect the profession in which you practice. Take Charge of your future!
Heather Moore, MEd, RT(R)
President, OSRT
Ohio Radiologic Technology Personnel and Interested Parties,
Linda Rizzo and Heather Moore of the Ohio Society of Radiologic Technologists (OSRT) Executive Board attended the July 21, 2011 Radiation Generating Equipment Committee (REC) meeting at the Ohio Department of Health. This meeting was in reference to personnel licensing rules which the proposed change to Ohio Revised Code (ORC) 3701-72-01 definition of "radiographer" was discussed.
We were made aware of the change to this ORC by the OSRT Health Policy Committee and the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT). We have been working in conjunction with the Ohio Hospital Association and the Ohio Radiological Society. This proposed changed has caused much concern among the radiology community.
The proposed rule changes can be found at:
http://www.odh.ohio.gov/rules/drafts/3701-72-.aspx
3701 - 72-01- Definitions - Line (X)
The OSRT has developed a response to send to the Ohio Department of Health. (OSRT Response to ODH). We encourage interested members to also submit their own public comments on or before August 10, 2011. The REC will meet on August 12, 2011 in Columbus, OH to review all of the public comments. These meetings are always open to the public. Representatives from the OSRT plan to be in attendance. After the REC meeting, the committee will send their recommendations to the Radiation Advisory Council (RAC) which then sends their recommendations to the Public Health Council (PHC). Once it passes the PHC, the new rules become effective.
The OSRT would like to encourage your support of this response. It is intended to protect the National Practice Standards for Radiologic Technologists as stated by the ASRT.
Thank you very much for your anticipated support of this important issue in the Radiologic Technology community.
If you need further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Heather Moore, MEd, R.T. (R)
President, The Ohio Society of Radiologic Technologists
The OSRT supports the employee's right to collectively bargain and is in opposition to Senate Bill 5.
This statement is based on a decision made at the OSRT Annual Meeting by the membership and their vote to have the Board of Directors take a position regarding this issue.
Ohio RTs Hit Capitol Hill
The ASRT RT in DC event was held March 13-15 at the Hilton Washington Embassy Row. There were 117 imaging professionals in attendance from all over the country. This was the ASRT’s 13th annual RT in DC event. Included in the 117 attendees were four OSRT radiologic technologists and a radiologist assistant to lobby for sponsorship of the Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility, and Excellence in Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (CARE) bill. OSRT Board members, Jonathan Mazal and Linda Rizzo, Student intern Chris Gerity, and committee member Julie Gill, arrived in Washington D.C. on Sunday, March 13th. Julie Gill is not only actively involved in OSRT, she was recently elected as vice president of the ASRT Board of Directors.
The group met with other RT in DC attendees on Sunday evening, and on Monday they learned about the CARE bill and how to effectively meet with aides of the House of Representatives and Senate to garner sponsorship for the bill. Mazal also learned about the Medicare Reimbursement 0f Radiologist Assistant’s bill and lobbied for sponsorship of this bill, as well.
On Tuesday, it was off to Capitol Hill! Pictured to the left is US Representative Jim Jordan, Linda Rizzo and Chris Gerity. The group met with no resistance to sponsorship of the CARE Bill. The primary provision of the CARE bill is that those facilities and health care providers who receive Medicare reimbursement be required to hire educationally-prepared and clinically-competent radiologic technologists to perform all medical imaging and radiation therapy procedures. The federal bill would also mandate minimum standards for education and clinical competence. Practically speaking, the bill will help reduce the risk of medical errors associated with misdiagnosis or the misadministration of radiation, and would reduce patient radiation dose.
This past year, The New York Times published an expose on radiation overexposure and errors which culminated in their February 28th front page article emphasizing the need for the CARE bill to protect U.S. citizens. At this point in time, there is NO none opposition to the CARE bill!
Pictured to the left are Julie Gill, Chrstine Lung, Chris Gerity, David Goch and Linda Rizzo. Christine Lung is ASRT's Vice President Government Relations and Public Policy and David Goch is ASRT's Legal Counsel.
Thanks Jonathan, Linda, Chris, and Julie for representing Ohio technologists and all to all Ohioans who help support the passage of the CARE Bill!
As representatives of the Ohio Society of Radiologic Technologists (OSRT), Leisa Arnold M.H.A.,RT(R)(M) and Jonathon Mazal B.S., R.T.(R)(MR), attended the 12th annual R.T. in DC (Radiologic Technologists in Washington) event March 7th-9th, 2010. They were joined by fellow Ohioans Donna Wrinkle M.B.A., R.T.(R)(CV) and Dava Edwards Smith, R.T.(R)(CT)(MR), MSRS who attended independently in nature to help aid in the efforts of passing the CARE Bill. This organized event is designed to gain legislative support/sponsorship for the CARE Bill (Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility and Excellence in radiation therapy and medical imaging).
As representatives of the Ohio Society of Radiologic Technologists (OSRT), Leisa Arnold, Jonathon Mazal, and Linda Rizzo attended the R.T. in DC (Radiologic Technologists in Washington) event April 19-21, 2009. This organized event is designed to gain legislative support/sponsorship for the CARE Bill (Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility and Excellence in radiation therapy and medical imaging). The Bill establishes federal certification standards for personnel who plan and deliver radiation therapy and perform all types of medical imaging exams.
In radiation protection rules adopted under Chapter 3748 of the Ohio Revised Code, the Ohio Department of Health has
established standards for protection of employees from radiation sources that are required to be licensed/registered with the Ohio
Department of Health.
Recently the Bureau of Radiation Protection has been contacted regarding the use of x-rays in human research. Be aware that the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) does not allow for any person to be “exposed to the useful beam except the patient for dental or medical radiologic procedures and unless such exposure has been authorized by a licensed practitioner within his or her scope of practice.” SeeOAC rule 3701:1-66-02(B)
Questions regarding rule 3701:1-66-02 or the prohibition of exposing a person to x-rays within authorization from a licensed practitioner should be directed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Chief, Bureau of Radiation Protection, Ohio Department of Health.
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