Clinical technologist

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A clinical technologist, also known as a healthcare science practitioner, is a medical professional involved in the practical delivery of medical physics and clinical engineering services. In some locations there is considerable overlap in closely related terms, for example in many countries technologist and radiographer are synonyms, while in the United Kingdom they are considered separate professions. Clinical technologists can be found in nuclear medicine, radiotherapy, radiation protection, and rehabilitation engineering departments, and they are often described by their scope of practice (for example as a nuclear medicine technologist). [1] [2]

Contents

Roles and responsibilities

Depending on local practices, in radiology and radiotherapy technologist may be a synonym for radiographer or a separate position. [3] [4] The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) uses technologist primarily to refer to the staff involved in the practical clinical delivery of radiotherapy, radiology and nuclear medicine. [5] [6]

There is no single European Union definition or minimum training level for technologists, and the use of the term varies between member states. [7] In radiotherapy, the European SocieTy for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) previously referred to the staff carrying out the practical elements of treatment as Radiation Technologists (RTT), [8] however they have since revised this to Radiation TherapisTs. [9]

In the United Kingdom, clinical technologists and radiographers are separate professions with differing responsibilities. In X-ray radiography and radiotherapy, it is radiographers who will carry out the imaging or treatment, while technologists may be involved in equipment testing and radiation protection activities. [1] [10] In nuclear medicine however, those with technologist or radiographer training largely have the same responsibilities. [11]

In the United States, and many other countries, technologist is the main term for the healthcare professionals performing diagnostic imaging (radiographers), as well as the staff involved in testing and quality control of X-ray equipment, with the latter specifically known as quality control technologists. [12] Similarly in Canada medical radiation technologists (MRTs) carry out practical aspects of radiology and radiotherapy on patients. [13]

Nuclear medicine

In nuclear medicine departments, clinical technologists are typically involved in the practical delivery of the service. [14] They may be involved in preparing and injecting radiopharmaceuticals, talking to patients about their procedures, performing scans on gamma cameras and PET scanners, and quality control activities. Nuclear medicine technologists may perform a similar roles to, and in some departments work alongside, radiographers. [15] [16]

Radiation protection

Radiation protection technologists work alongside medical physicists and other professionals to provide advice, measurements and practical solutions for the protection of staff, patients and the general public from the harmful effects of ionising radiation. [17]

Dialysis

In the UK a renal technologist (or dialysis technician) is responsible for technical and clinical aspects of the equipment involved in renal dialysis. [18] [19]

Education and training

Africa

South Africa

In South Africa, clinical technologists are regulated by the Health Professions Council of South Africa. They work in one of seven categories: nephrology, neurophysiology, cardiology, critical care, pulmonology, cardiovascular perfusion, and reproductive biology. [20] Training starts with a Health Sciences degree (BHSc) in Clinical Technology. [21]

Europe

United Kingdom

There are several routes to clinical technologist careers. For medical physics roles, the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM) sets out a clinical technologist training scheme which lasts for two years and combines workplace-based clinical training with a post-graduate diploma in clinical technology. [22] For renal technologists, the Association of Renal Technologists (ART) maintains a training scheme which includes practical training and university modules. [23]

The practitioner training programme (PTP), overseen by the National School of Healthcare Science (NSHCS), is a three year course with clinical training and an undergraduate degree in healthcare science. [24]

IPEM, ART, and the Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estate Management (IHEEM) jointly operate the Register of Clinical Technologists. [25] The register is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority. [26]

IPEM and other professional bodies have campaigned for technologists to be included on a statutory register, for example with the Health and Care Professions Council. [27] [28]

North America

United States

In the United States a wide number of training schemes are available, ranging from one-year post-baccalaureate certificate programmes to four-year bachelor's degree programmes. [16] Several methods of registration and certification exist.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radiography</span> Imaging technique using ionizing and non-ionizing radiation

Radiography is an imaging technique using X-rays, gamma rays, or similar ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation to view the internal form of an object. Applications of radiography include medical radiography and industrial radiography. Similar techniques are used in airport security. To create an image in conventional radiography, a beam of X-rays is produced by an X-ray generator and is projected toward the object. A certain amount of the X-rays or other radiation is absorbed by the object, dependent on the object's density and structural composition. The X-rays that pass through the object are captured behind the object by a detector. The generation of flat two dimensional images by this technique is called projectional radiography. In computed tomography an X-ray source and its associated detectors rotate around the subject which itself moves through the conical X-ray beam produced. Any given point within the subject is crossed from many directions by many different beams at different times. Information regarding attenuation of these beams is collated and subjected to computation to generate two dimensional images in three planes which can be further processed to produce a three dimensional image.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radiology</span> Branch of Medicine

Radiology is the medical discipline that uses medical imaging to diagnose diseases and guide their treatment, within the bodies of humans and other animals. It began with radiography, but today it includes all imaging modalities, including those that use no electromagnetic radiation, as well as others that do, such as computed tomography (CT), fluoroscopy, and nuclear medicine including positron emission tomography (PET). Interventional radiology is the performance of usually minimally invasive medical procedures with the guidance of imaging technologies such as those mentioned above.

Medical physics deals with the application of the concepts and methods of physics to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of human diseases with a specific goal of improving human health and well-being. Since 2008, medical physics has been included as a health profession according to International Standard Classification of Occupation of the International Labour Organization.

A radiation therapist, therapeutic radiographer or radiotherapist is an allied health professional who works in the field of radiation oncology. Radiation therapists plan and administer radiation treatments to cancer patients in most Western countries including the United Kingdom, Australia, most European countries, and Canada, where the minimum education requirement is often a baccalaureate degree or postgraduate degrees in radiation therapy. Radiation therapists can also prescribe medications and radiation, interpret tests results, perform follow ups, reviews, and provide consultations to cancer patients in the United Kingdom and Ontario, Canada . In the United States, radiation therapists have a lower educational requirement and often require postgraduate education and certification in order to plan treatments.

Allied health professions are health care professions that provide a range of diagnostic, technical, therapeutic, and support services in connection with health care. Their services are allied with and support the work of a number of other professions not considered allied health professions, such as medicine, nursing, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, and others listed below as "excluded professions".

A medical physicist is a health professional with specialist education and training in the concepts and techniques of applying physics in medicine and competent to practice independently in one or more of the subfields (specialties) of medical physics. A medical physicist plays a fundamental role in applying physics to medicine, but particularly in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The scientific and technological progress in medical physics has led to a variety of skills that must be integrated into the role of a medical physicist in order for them to perform their job. The "medical services" provided to patients undergoing diagnostic and therapeutic treatments must, therefore, be the result of different but complementary skills. In general, the medical physicist is responsible for all scientific and technical aspects of imaging, radiation treatment, and radiation safety. It is their occupational role to ensure that medical modalities offered to patients are met with the utmost quality assurance. It is the medical physicist that manage and supervise the efforts of dosimetrists, therapists and technologists in that capacity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medical laboratory scientist</span> Medical professional who works in the laboratory

A medical laboratory scientist (MLS) or clinical laboratory scientist (CLS) or medical technologist (MT) performs diagnostic testing of blood and body fluids in clinical laboratories. The scope of a medical laboratory scientist's work begins with the receipt of patient or client specimens and terminates with the delivery of test results to physicians and other healthcare providers. The utility of clinical diagnostic testing relies squarely on the validity of test methodology. To this end, much of the work done by medical laboratory scientists involves ensuring specimen quality, interpreting test results, data-logging, testing control products, performing calibration, maintenance, validation, and troubleshooting of instrumentation as well as performing statistical analyses to verify the accuracy and repeatability of testing. Medical laboratory scientists may also assist healthcare providers with test selection and specimen collection and are responsible for prompt verbal delivery of critical lab results. Medical Laboratory Scientists in healthcare settings also play an important role in clinical diagnosis. An estimated 70% of medical decisions are based on laboratory test results and MLS contributions affect 95% of a health system's costs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radiographer</span> Healthcare professional

Radiographers, also known as radiologic technologists, diagnostic radiographers and medical radiation technologists are healthcare professionals who specialise in the imaging of human anatomy for the diagnosis and treatment of pathology. Radiographers are infrequently, and almost always erroneously, known as x-ray technicians. In countries that use the title radiologic technologist they are often informally referred to as techs in the clinical environment; this phrase has emerged in popular culture such as television programmes. The term radiographer can also refer to a therapeutic radiographer, also known as a radiation therapist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Society of Radiographers</span> UK trade union

The Society of Radiographers (SoR) is a professional body and trade union that represents more than 90 percent of the diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers in the United Kingdom. The College of Radiographers (CoR) is a charitable subsidiary of the Society, they are collectively known as the Society and College of Radiographers (SCoR).

The American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) is a professional membership association that serves medical imaging technologists, radiation therapists, and radiologic science students. The organization, located in Albuquerque, New Mexico provides its members with ongoing education and professional development opportunities.

Nuclear medicine physicians, also called nuclear radiologists or simply nucleologists, are medical specialists that use tracers, usually radiopharmaceuticals, for diagnosis and therapy. Nuclear medicine procedures are the major clinical applications of molecular imaging and molecular therapy. In the United States, nuclear medicine physicians are certified by the American Board of Nuclear Medicine and the American Osteopathic Board of Nuclear Medicine.

Medical Radiation Scientists (MRS) are healthcare professionals who perform complex diagnostic imaging studies on patients or plan and administer radiation treatments to cancer patients. Medical radiation scientists include diagnostic radiographers, nuclear medicine radiographers, magnetic resonance radiographers, medical/cardiac sonographers, and radiation therapists. Most medical radiation scientists work in imaging clinics and hospitals' imaging departments with the exception of Radiation Therapists, who work in specialised cancer centers and clinics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biomedical sciences</span> Application of science to healthcare

Biomedical sciences are a set of sciences applying portions of natural science or formal science, or both, to develop knowledge, interventions, or technology that are of use in healthcare or public health. Such disciplines as medical microbiology, clinical virology, clinical epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, and biomedical engineering are medical sciences. In explaining physiological mechanisms operating in pathological processes, however, pathophysiology can be regarded as basic science.

The Register of Clinical Technologists (RCT) is a professional register for clinical technologists and practitioners specialising in the practical application of physics, engineering and technology to clinical practice in the UK. Registrants work in NHS hospitals, private health care, academic institutions and the medical device industry.

Grigoriev Institute for Medical Radiology (GIMR) is a medical radiology and oncology research institution in Kharkiv, Ukraine, founded in 1920. GIMR works in the areas of radiation oncology, radiology, radiotherapy, clinical radiobiology, radiation dosimetry in medicine and radiation safety of patients and medical personnel. The main campus is located at 82 Pushkinska St., Kharkiv, Ukraine.

The European Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics (EFOMP) was founded in May 1980 in London to serve as an umbrella organisation representing the national Medical Physics societies in Europe. The office moved to Utrecht in January 2021. It is a non-profit organisation and aims to foster and coordinate the activities of its national member organisations, encourage exchange and dissemination of professional and scientific information, develop guidelines for education, training and accreditation programmes and to make recommendations on the responsibilities, organisational relationships and roles of medical physicists.

The British Nuclear Medicine Society (BNMS) was established in 1966 and is an independent forum devoted to various aspects of nuclear medicine in the UK. The mission statement of BNMS is "the advancement of science and public education in Nuclear Medicine that would benefit patients." As of 2020 the BNMS has over 600 members. The BNMS is a registered company and charity.

Caridad Borrás is a Spanish medical physicist. Her career started in 1964 at the Santa Creu i Sant Pau Hospital in Barcelona. From 1988 to 2000, she was Regional Advisor of the Radiological Health Program and, from 2000 to 2002, Coordinator of Essential Drugs and Technology at the Pan American Health Organization in Washington D.C.

International Society of Radiographers and Radiological Technologists (ISRRT) is a non-governmental organization formed in 1959 which aims to give direction to the Radiological profession as a whole through collaboration with national representative bodies. ISRRT is working with the World Health Organization. It represents more than 65 member countries and 200,000 radiographers as members.

References

  1. 1 2 "Clinical or medical technology in medical physics". Health Careers. Health Education England. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  2. ↑ "The Clinical Technologist: Scope of Practice" (PDF). The Register of Clinical Technologists. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  3. ↑ Cowling, Cynthia (December 2008). "A global overview of the changing roles of radiographers". Radiography. 14: e28–e32. doi:10.1016/j.radi.2008.06.001.
  4. ↑ "Definition of "Radiographer" and List of National Titles". EFRS. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  5. ↑ "Technologists". Human Health Campus. IAEA. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  6. ↑ "Responsibilities of health professionals". IAEA. 1 August 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  7. ↑ Lass, Piotr (2001). "Nuclear medicine technologists' training in different countries - a comparison". Nuclear Medicine Review. 4 (2): 65–68. ISSN   1644-4345. PMID   14600886.
  8. ↑ Coffey, Mary; Vandevelde, Guy; van der Heide Schoon, Riet; Adams, Joy; Sundqvist, Eric; Ramalho, Miguel (April 1997). "The European core curriculum for radiotherapy technologists". Radiotherapy and Oncology. 43 (1): 97–101. doi:10.1016/S0167-8140(97)01901-4. PMID   9165144.
  9. ↑ "Recommended ESTRO Core Curriculum for RTTs (Radiation TherapisTs)" (PDF). ESTRO (3 ed.). 2011.
  10. ↑ Hawkins, Lucy (September 2019). "Clinical technologist job profile". Prospects. Jisc . Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  11. ↑ "Radiographers, Technologists & Nurses Group". BNMS. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  12. ↑ Gray, Joel E.; Barnes, Gary T.; Bronskill, Michael J.; Fox, Mary F.; Frey, G. Donald; Haus, Arthur G.; Madsen, Mark T.; Pavlicek, William; Reed, Stanley A.; Wenstrup, Robert S.; Geise, Richard A.; Lin, Pei-jan Paul; Tolbert, Donald D. (January 1994). The Role of the Clinical Medical Physicist in Diagnostic Radiology (PDF). doi:10.37206/41. ISBN   978-1-563963-11-7 . Retrieved 13 February 2021.{{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  13. ↑ "What we do". The very image of care. Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  14. ↑ "Hybrid Imaging in conventional nuclear medicine". EANM. 22 October 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  15. ↑ "Thinking of a career as a nuclear medicine technologist?". BNMS . Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  16. 1 2 "Technologist - Careers in Nuclear Medicine". SNMMI . Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  17. ↑ "What is a Radiation Protection Technologist". National Registry of Radiation Protection Technologists. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  18. ↑ "Renal technology". Health Careers. Health Education England. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  19. ↑ "Roles and Responsibilities of Renal Technicians" (PDF). New Zealand Board of Dialysis Practice. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  20. ↑ "Professional Boards". Health Professions Council of South Africa. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  21. ↑ "About the South African Clinical Technology Association". South African Clinical Technology Association. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  22. ↑ "IPEM Clinical Technologist Training Scheme". IPEM. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  23. ↑ "ART Training Scheme". Association of Renal Technologists. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  24. ↑ "About the Practitioner Training Programme". NSHCS. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  25. ↑ "How to join the register". The Register of Clinical Technologists. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  26. ↑ "Register of Clinical Technologists". Professional Standards Authority. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  27. ↑ "Statutory Registration for Nuclear Medicine Technologists". British Nuclear Medicine Society . Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  28. ↑ "Making the case for statutory registration". IPEM . 14 October 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
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