Puerto Rico

MAC - PART A, MAC - PART B

FIRST COAST SERVICE OPTIONS, INC.
www.fcso.com

TRAINING REQUIREMENTS:

"The accuracy of non-invasive vascular diagnostic studies depends on the knowledge, skill and experience of the technologist and the physician performing the interpretation of the study. Consequently, the technologist and the physician must maintain proof of training and experience.

All non-invasive vascular diagnostic studies must be: (1) performed by a qualified physician, or (2) performed under the general supervision of a qualified physician by a technologist who has demonstrated minimum entry level competency by being credentialed in vascular technology, and/or (3) performed in a laboratory accredited in vascular technology.

A qualified physician for this service is defined as follows: 1) A physician who has staff privileges to interpret vascular laboratory studies in a hospital that participates in the Medicare program in the state of Florida and the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (as applicable) or; 2) A physician who works in a certified vascular laboratory or; 3) A physician who has the RVT or the RPVI (Registered Physician in Vascular interpretation – provided by the ARDMS) certificate or; 4) Physicians who are not covered by one of these criteria will have until 2008 to comply.

Examples of certification in vascular technology for non-physician personnel include:

· Registered Vascular Technologist (RVT) credential
· Registered Vascular Specialist (RVS) credential
· Registered Technologist in Vascular Sonography (R.T. (VS))

These credentials must be provided by nationally recognized credentialing organizations such as:

· The American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) which provides Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS) and Registered Vascular Technologist (RVT) credentials
· The Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) which provides RVS credential
· The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)

Appropriate nationally recognized laboratory accreditation bodies include:

· Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL)
· American College of Radiology (ACR)

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