Tex-Rays

Welcome to the TSRT 2017 Summer/Fall Tex-Rays!

This electronic mail out is a free service provided to members by the TSRT Board and Officers. It is published through the TSRT Executive Office. The goal is to provide valuable information to our membership. Your input regarding topics, questions and policies is encouraged. If you have comments, please contact us at  tsrtinc@outlook.com

TSRT Connection

2017 will continue to be a busy year for our Legislative and ODM Committees. The TSRT successfully supported and pushed imaging professionals in Texas to help support the legislative efforts in 2016-2017. TSRT is dedicated to working with the ASRT to accomplish the many projects and goals ahead of us.

The TSRT Legislative Committee and the legislative department at the ASRT will continue to send out email blasts related to laws that will affect imaging professionals in TEXAS! The ASRT has made it very easy for all of us by guiding our team throughout the past few months. The time is right to let your senators and representatives know that issues surrounding the imaging profession have wide support among the RTs they represent.

ONE VOICE has been placed on the TSRT Web-site for a reason. The Organization Development and Marketing Committee feel technologists in TEXAS need to unite. The Legislative Committee needs our support in the decisions they make for us while working with senators and representatives in Austin. We encourage you to become active in your professional organizations at the local, state and national levels. Your membership is important. With over 25,000 certified medical radiologic technologists in Texas, WHY is there less than 1% active in their professional organizations? TEXAS should be blowing other states away with those numbers. Take 5 minutes out of your day to “Join TSRT” by visiting www.txsrt.org

RTs in Texas need to discover their value in our profession with TSRT. RTs in Texas need to reconnect with their professional societies. To the dedicated members of TSRT, we would like to say thank you for your continued support of legislative efforts at the state and national levels. Your membership fees go a long way in supporting the endeavors of our organization. We are grateful to all Past Presidents of TSRT for the road they have paved over the years leading us to where we are today. There would be no TSRT without their direction. We look forward to our new journey this year and look forward to continuing to serve the TSRT membership.

The theme for TSRT this year is “Revive TSRT in 2017.” Please encourage your imaging friends to join TSRT this year. Oprah Winfrey once said, “You become what you believe.” The TSRT Board and Officers believe TSRT can be successful. We hope you join us in reviving our professional organization.

TSRT Board Chair Report- Brian Rich

The 85th session of the Texas legislature ended on May 29th. This session was a long drawn out and raucous at times. With so many social issues coming to the forefront, many other fiscal issues were neglected and died in committee. One positive action was the budget was proposed and they passed a $217 billion budget along with 1,000 other bills. However, the Sunset Texas Medical Board bill and approximately five other agencies that were reviewed this year, remain in limbo. The bill died in committee, which normally is not too big of a concern; normally.

This legislative year has been a barrage of protests and battles, attaching bills to other bills; the normal political games that are played but this year it kept some important agencies form getting the funding they need to keep going and not sunset. When I said normally in the above paragraph, I was referring to the normal passage of a “sunset safety bill”. This is almost automatic to ensure agencies that were recommended to continue by the Sunset Advisory Committee get the necessary funding to do so until the legislative issue is resolved. But even that went out the window in committee as well. Depending on who you ask why this happened will vary from person to person. These events came down to the wire and were unknown until almost the end of the session.

Nonetheless, Texas Society of Radiologic Technologists supports Governor Abbott to calling a special session to resolve many things including the Texas Medical Board. The Sunset Bill will be a focus for this session. While it is widely believed at the Capitol and throughout the state that the Texas Medical board is in no real danger to sunset in September, this is politics remember. Rational actions don’t always apply. For that reason, we are maintaining our contact with the ARRT lobbyist and keeping a watchful eye to put our resources in gear and maintain licensure through the Texas Medical Board and in the state.

In other concerns, as our President Jesse Pennington stated in his message, encroachment is an issue that should bind us together and work for what is best for us and our profession. By making our voices heard this past legislative session, the H.B. 1415 and S.B. 681 APRN bills died in committee as well. This is a victory we should appreciate by not allowing Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners the ability to “order, perform and interpret” ionizing radiation procedures. A big thank you to all that voiced your opinion and actively sought to defeat this legislation.

TSRT also addressed the enactment and subsequent temporary withdrawal of the rule changes at the TMB. The rule came into effect on April 3rd of this year; there was no known announcement of the rule changes. What may possibly happen after review by their General Counsel and the Texas Board of Medical Radiologic Technology is an increase of instructor lead classes as was the case on April 3rd. Other possible rule changes could be the ability to carryover extra CEs to the next biennium and BLS certification counting as 3 CEs. However, the question of whether they will count as instructor lead was never positively answered in the phone conversations with the Registration Manager. That is also part of the review. The biggest reason for the review came from the outcry regarding those about to renew their license without the 12 needed instructor lead CEs. The enforcement time frame needed to be clarified. As always, TSRT will be monitoring released information and stay in contact with the TMB management for the quickest and most reliable information we feel confident to give you. Please take time to look over the Texas Administrative Code, Title 22, Part 9, Chapter 194, Subchapter A, Rule 194.7.

We have received word that the review should begin in July with the TMB General Counsel and the Texas Board of Medical Radiologic Technology with a stakeholders meeting around October to discuss and finalize recommendations to be sent to the Board of Directors for the TMB. The Texas Society of Radiologic Technologists will be one of the stakeholders invited to the meeting according to the Registration Manager.

Message from the President – Jesse Pennington

It is time for the ASRT House of Delegates meeting. This year it will be held in Orlando, Florida. As always, the turn out will be huge and many things discussed to update and forge the best direction for our profession. The dates are June 22nd– June 25th. There will be discussion and votes on changes to the ASRT bylaws and TSRT Board Chair, Brian Rich, and myself, TSRT President, Jesse Pennington, will be there representing our state and our society. Two others attending are the Student Leadership representatives David Le and Joshua Matthew. They are both from UT MD Anderson Cancer Center and we congratulate them on their selection.

In other information, the Board and Area Counselors met for our summer board meeting. Our ODM Chair and a few committee members came to join us as well. We appreciate the time and travel from each of them to come and offer great input. We have established plans for the future of TSRT that we firmly believe will benefit you, our members, and our profession. We are working on the next sight for TSRT 2018 Annual Meeting and hope to release that information soon. This board meeting was one of the best we have had in a while and very productive. As we solidify the ideas and suggestions, we will pass them to you.

President Elect Report – Hazel Bourne

Great things are happening out in West Texas! Our West Area Counselor, Jose Rodriguez, will be hosting the TSRT West Texas Area Counselor’s Meeting on June 22, 2017 from 5:30 pm – 8pm. It will be held at the El Paso Specialty Hospital located at1720 Murchison Dr. El Paso, Texas 79902.The meeting is sponsored by Sponsored by Merry X-Ray Source One Healthcare, and will be held at the El Paso Specialty Hospital located at1720 Murchison Dr. El Paso, Texas 79902. Mr. Rodriguez is the Imaging Director for El Paso Specialty Hospital. At an incredibly low price of $5 for TSRT members and $15 for non-members, you can’t afford not to go. The meeting will provide 3 CEs and you can sign up today at http://www.tsrt.info/id346.html . Keep looking for more opportunities in the future for CEs from TSRT. No report submitted

Vice President Report – Brandon Smith

No report submitted GOOD NEWS: There is still time to take advantage of the huge savings for membership to TSRT. For only $19, you get a year of vital information, advocacy in Austin, important updates of legislative news, representation of our society and profession, CE opportunities and so much more. Go to http://www.tsrt.info/id2.html and sign up today! The value of what you do and how you’re represented is well worth the cost of membership and the benefits to you!

Area Counselor Reports

Central – (Open) This area covers Bryan, College Station, Waco Region

Midwest – (Open) This area covers Abilene, Midland, Odessa, San Angelo Region

Northeast – Jeniesa Johnson -This area covers Dallas, Ft. Worth, Texoma, Tyler Region

Northwest- (Open- formally Gloria Clemons) This area covers Amarillo, Lubbock, Wichita Falls Region

1. I contacted Gaynell Gainer, Professor Emeritus (Retired) St. Philip’s College, San Antonio, Texas. She being a member of their advisory board agreed to seek their input regarding TSRT using their campus for an annual meeting. The response was favorable and I forwarded the program director’s information to TSRT board president, Jesse Pennington. I also sent the program director’s cell phone number in a subsequent communication.

2. I am aware of the upcoming CEU meeting in El Paso, being coordinated by Jose Rodriguez, West Area Counselor, and am hopeful I will be able to attend to represent TSRT.

3. South – Melinda Wren/Robert Valdez This area covers Corpus Christi, Padre Region

South Central – Margaret Bishop- This area covers Austin, San Antonio, San Marcus Region

Southeast – (Open) This area covers Beaumont, Galveston, Houston, Huntsville Region

West – Jose Rodriguez- This area covers Alpine, El Paso, Pecos Region

  1. First and foremost I apologize for not being able to attend in person. When the dates for the winter meeting and next Annual meeting are set I will plan accordingly.
  2. I have been working closely with the program Director for Southwest University. I spoke to the students of each program that SU offers about the importance and value of the TSRT. Most of the students were already close to graduation, but many of them showed much interest in joining the society.
  3. SU is also in the middle of some vast expansions to their programs. They are adding an online CT crossover program for RTs as well as a BS in Radiology Management. They will soon also be expanding to Las Cruces NM because of the dropped nursing accreditation of NMSU. What this means for the TSRT is a valued partnership with opportunities for both parties. SU has offered use of their 150 person auditorium and their 600 person auditorium to the TSRT at no cost at any time (with notice and availability of course).
  4. I have been in contact with many of the Imaging Directors form around town trying to explain the value of the TSRT to their staff as well. I offer to post positions on our website, but continue to get resistance from the HR and Recruitment departments for potential conflicts or legal issues. Have any of you run into this?
  5. I have scheduled the first local TSRT meeting for June 22nd generously sponsored by Cheryl Gray with Merry X-ray. I ended up setting the cost at $5 for members and $15 for non-members. This is designed as a TSRT introductory meeting to boost presence and membership for West Texas. I am also working on a late August meeting as well for the same reason. Depending on the turnout of the June meeting, I will likely keep the cost the same or find another sponsor and offer the credits for free to members.
  6. I still want to organize an 8CE seminar for the beginning of November. This will replace the RGIS annual meeting that was cancelled which was scheduled for early November. I have a few speakers that are willing to speak (myself included). I will follow up with all of them to confirm and organize and exact date. Possibly November 11th? I will begin gathering the class information as soon as possible to submit for CE credit approval.
  7. On a side note, I am willing to speak at the next annual meeting.

8. Thank you all for answering my questions for the last few months. It isn’t easy working from such a great distance, but I feel as if items are starting to fall into place for the TSRT and West Texas

Executive Office Report

TSRT has issued 2420 membership identification numbers to licensed medical radiologic technologist in Texas. Of this number, 1877 are currently expired. Therefore, TSRT has 543 active members. (6.1.2017)

Editor Notes

The articles in this publication are not copy righted; if any good is found we would like to share it. Tex-Rays are published three/four times a year. The opinions are those of the author and in no way reflect the opinion or the policy of the Texas Society of Radiologic Technologist, Inc. The initials “RT” imply certification by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologist. Tex-Rays is available for downloading and printing from the TSRT website at www.txsrt.org

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