Dear Supporters,
ARDMS and SDMS continue to say: “Patient care is our top priority.” Yet the only scan-time guidelines that exist come from AUIM and ASE — and employers rarely follow them.
Meanwhile, sonographers are being driven from the profession under the weight of excessive workloads and unsafe expectations. Every day, thousands of patients are rushed through exams, putting them at risk of inaccurate results, missed or delayed findings, and compromised care. By refusing to push for enforceable regulations, these leading organizations are putting patients at risk when they have the power to do more.
As 501(c)(3) organizations, ARDMS and SDMS can do more than issue guidelines. They have the ability to lobby for legislation that mandates scan times per CPT code and to engage in educational advocacy with policymakers to ensure workplace standards that protect both patients and sonographers are recognized at the legislative level.
MOC skills and CME requirements do not showcase the real, on-the-job skills needed at the bedside. They don’t prioritize patients — they prioritize requirements. What would make a difference are mandated scan times and enforceable workload caps, protecting diagnostic accuracy and patient care outcomes.
These leading organizations could also work with accrediting bodies to add a simple but powerful question during reaccreditation: “Is your facility abiding by scan times as established by [AUIM/ASE/etc.]?” Facilities that comply could earn a visible “Safe Workplace for Sonographers” badge — much like current accreditation seals — signaling to patients and staff that their facility upholds clear, enforceable standards.
Creating these standards will hold employers accountable. Only then will quality, accuracy, and patient care truly become the priority.
Thank you for standing with us in this fight for accountability and lasting change.
Committed to advocacy and accountability,
Your Advocacy Team at
National Sonography Organization