North Dakota has passed a measure that sets licensing standards and expands the responsibilities of the state's radiologic technologists, radiation therapists, radiologist assistants, nuclear medicine technologists, and sonographers.
Gov. Jack Dalrymple has signed SB 2236, which creates a pathway for radiologic technologists to take verbal orders from physicians and other healthcare practitioners and enter them into the patient's electronic health record, according to the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT).
The state will create a nine-member State Board of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Medical Examiners to oversee the program. The board will manage the licensing requirements for the personnel who perform medical imaging and radiation therapy procedures. The board will also administer disciplinary measures and penalties, ASRT said.
Enactment of the bill represents a "huge step toward making sure that patient care is provided as quickly and efficiently as possible," said Ann Bell-Pfeifer, from the North Dakota Society of Radiologic Technologists' legislative committee, in a statement.
