Hello, I am a senior sonography student at Armstrong Atlantic State University. It has come to my attention that sonographers are not required to get registered before practicing in Georgia and nationwide. I know that Radiography and Radiation Therapy are pushing for the passage of the CARE bill to lower radiation exposure and costs of exams, but I have not noticed any legislation pushing for diagnostic medical sonographers to be registered before practicing. I am contacting you because you are the chairman for the Health and Human Services Committee. Has the CARE bill been addressed in Georgia? Does it include the field of diagnostic medical sonography? If the legislation has been addressed, does it include the need for sonographers to become registered? I understand that you are busy, but I would sincerely appreciate any information that can be provided. For a senior leadership project, my team is pushing for awareness and promoting registration for diagnostic medical sonographers be required before practicing in Georgia. We will be sending a petition in the future, and I just wanted to give you a heads up.
Thank you,
Holly Hughes
Reply recieved at 1:45 on June 20, 2008:
Holly:
As far as I can tell, this is legislation (S 1042) has not been addressed here in the state of Georgia. The work on this issue has been on the federal level. In March of 2008 it passed out of the US Senate Health, Energy, Labor and Pensions Committee and will now go before the US Senate Finance comittee for review and approval. Congress is in recess and nothing else has been done in regard to the bill. The following link gives you information on S 1042.
***** Our efforts have nothing to do with the CARE bill. If you click on the link provided, the proposed CARE bill does not mention ultrasound registration.
