Lab Accreditation and Credentials in Sonography

Abstract

There is an increasing demand for sonographer credentials and facility accreditation associated with federal reimbursement of sonography examinations. Therefore, a national survey was conducted to identify the education/certification status of sonographers currently performing studies that receive federal reimbursement. The survey, addressed to sonography administrators, also investigated the sonography laboratory accreditation status. Results indicated that approximately 12% of the sonographers were reported to have no sonography-specific credentials. The primary age range of this group was 25 to 34 years, and 64% were graduates of a two-year (minimum) allied health education program other than sonography. Forty-two percent indicated their sonography lab was not accredited. Should the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) require facility accreditation, there may be a significant impact on sonographer requirements as a condition of employment.