In 1981 we had the opportunity to form one of the first ultrasound schools in the country, at U.T. Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, one of the top five medical schools in the world.
We turned it down.
We turned it down to start something entirely different.
“There’s no way we’d ever be able to stay ahead of the technology, in front of its use, or as flexible as we’d need to be, to give everything we could to our colleagues.”
- Keith Mauney, 1981
We decided long ago that we wouldn't compete for your attention. Instead, we’d work every day to earn it. Every way you can imagine.
You’ll never graduate from us. Because we’ll never leave you.
Call on us. We like your questions.
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Post Conference Mentoring |
Founded at Southwestern University of Texas Medical School, 1981 Identical in every class, so your training is totally controlled and reproducible every time. Each of our team has logged decades at the bedside and in class, and each one is still clinically active in the field. We know all the ways people learn, and we’ll use them all for you. We invented collateral learning, using a parallel track approach to eliminate resistance to mastery in record time. Small class size ensures an individualized, consultative learning plan that can be adjusted in real time. Positive support and immediate feedback strengthen accountability without intimidation or defeat. Each objective is presented and reinforced in at least three ways throughout the course, and enduring materials provide a lifelong reference base. Classes award hour-for-hour Category ! AMA CME credit. Post conference mentoring is offered for free in perpetuity to ensure the maximum benefit for our students. This approach differs significantly from traditional education. The entire course is held at our Host Hotel in each respective city. You’re just a few steps away from class and lab. There are no distractions to learning, but complete support for everything you’ll need while away from home From D-FW Airport: six miles, fifteen minutes. $35 by taxi, $20 by shuttle, $55 by private limo. Rental cars available at the airport and nearby to the hotel.
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Credentialing Facts Briefing
There is presently no Medicare directive requiring sonographer certification as a prerequisite to reimbursement for these procedures. Oregon, New Mexico have state law requiring all sonographers to be credentialed to practice in any field. Other states are considering similar actions. Private insurance carriers may have separate policies.
The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine has recommended guidelines in place to ensure the highest standard of facility compliance. Learn more.
Physicians and Cardiac Ultrasound
Medicare is evolving its policies state by state; many states already require technologist credentialing as a condition for reimbursement. Physician credentialing is required in some, but not all states as a prerequisite to reimbursement by Medicare. Learn more.
Private payers are adopting more rigorous policies, but uniformity across the nation is still years away; ICAEL posts the most current positions of the nations largest private payers on its site here.
Eventually the entire US will follow suit. The National Board of Echocardiography is currently the only credentialing board for doctors and prerequisites include either cardiovascular board certification or specialized post graduate medical training in cardiovascular medicine, plus interpretation experience.
Physicians and Vascular Ultrasound (all applications)
Medicare has directives throughout the entire United States that require physicians interpreting vascular ultrasound provide evidence of specialized training, specific to the technology. Sonographers performing vascular ultrasound studies must either possess certification un vascular ultrasound or (in some states) perform the exam under the supervision of a certified sonographer.
Inspect your state’s specific Medicare policy for both physicians and technologists here. Private insurance carriers may have different policies. ICAVL no longer posts information from private insurance carriers; you will need to contact them directly for current or pending policy. In general, most require at least 10-15 hours of focused training int the specialty area.
Some states now require formal certification for physicians to read. Most hospitals‘ labs are ICAVL credentialed, which requires reading physicians to have met formal training standards in medical school or informally, by the following
• 40+ hours of Category 1 CME specific to vascular testing
within the prior three years, plus
• 8 hours of supervised practical experience or
observation in a credentialed vascular laboratory, and
also
• documentation of 100 cases interpreted and overread by
a credentialed-lab physician, in each specialty area of
application. Learn more.
Only one agency can credential primary care physicians in all areas of vascular ultrasound interpretation. As we noted above, this credential is presently required only in certain states. The American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) offers the Registered Physician Vascular Interpretation credential; it has a 96% pass rate. Learn more.
Specifically Regarding Facilities Credentialing
Two separate agencies credential echocardiography and vascular laboratory services: ICAEL and ICAVL, respectively. Private offices and hospitals providing vascular ultrasound studies (whether in conjunction with echocardiography or as a standalone service) should be--and will eventually be required to be--credentialed by the appropriate agency.
The entire body of certification guidelines can now be downloaded for free: ICAEL Guidelines and ICAVL Guidelines. The process is still voluntary, and payment is still allowed in non-credentialed labs provided physician and sonographer credentialing criteria have been met. This will likely change by 2012.
Sonographer Credentialing
Three different bodies can credential sonographers in vascular ultrasound: the ARDMS, CCI, or the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. The ARDMS and CCI credentials are equally recognized by Medicare in all states and territories; they have nearly equal pass/fail rates and test on the same content. The ASRT credential is open only to qualified registered radiologic technologists and is not presently recognized by Medicare in all fifty states.
The prerequisites for the ARDMS and CCI are unique to the various entry-level backgrounds and experience. You can quickly navigate the current prerequisites (always subject to change) with the color-coded charts here.
Our post graduate courses move you closer to all of these goals.
- Courses for you and your peers:
• The Essential Principles of Ultrasound
- 11 Cat 1 CME Hours
• Hands-On Cardiac Imaging & Doppler
- 45 Cat 1 CME Hours
• Hands-On Abdominal, Renal & Peripheral Vascular Ultrasound Imaging
- 20 Cat 1 CME Hours
• Hands-On Carotid & Vertebral Duplex Ultrasound - 10 Cat 1 CME hours
• Hands-On Abdominal Ultrasound Imaging
- 20 Cat 1 CME Hours
• Hands-On Breast Ultrasound Imaging
- 7 Cat 1 CME Hours
• Hands-On Pelvic/OB/Gyn Ultrasound Imaging
- 28 Cat. 1 CME Hours
• Hands-On Transvaginal Pelvic Imaging
- 7 Cat. 1 CME Hours
- See all the public courses
- Would you like to get this training on-site for your group?
- Leverage your commitment in exchange for training
sponsorship: Download a sample contract here.
- Take a look at the pathways to certification through ARRT, ARDMS, and CCI
- Inspect the complete Medicare indications,
exclusions and reimbursement information for your area
- Medicare Reimbursement Calculator
- FAQ’s about us
- Sign up for Keith's Newsletter
- Visit our Resource Center
Post conference mentoring continues for free, for life.
We offer public courses, private tutorials, and practice/industry consultation on all aspects pertaining to the clinical research, engineering, business, and governmental issues surrounding the field.
Contact us; we’re at your service and glad to help, in any way at all.
Your colleagues throughout the country have already profited from the benefits of our on-site training.
Ultrasound can leverage your time exponentially.
Will you master the process?