Accreditation Personnel Criteria

Physician Criteria
Training
AIUM accreditation requires that physicians in practices seeking accreditation meet the established Training Guidelines for Physicians Who Evaluate and Interpret Diagnostic Ultrasound Examinations.

Physician Case Volume Requirements
Each physician on staff is required to interpret the following number of ultrasound procedures per year in the specialty area for which the practice is applying:

Obstetric/Gynecologic Ultrasound - 170
(Minimum in Obstetric - 50, Minimum in Gynecologic - 50)
Abdominal/General Ultrasound - 300
Breast Ultrasound
Diagnostic Breast Ultrasound - 60
Interventional Breast Ultrasound - 25

Physicians who do not meet the minimum volume of ultrasound procedures on an annual basis can participate in a quality assurance program that is designed to increase their proficiency and ensure quality ultrasound care.
They can

Double-read ultrasound studies for quality assurance purposes,
Have their ultrasound studies reread by a physician who does meet the minimum volume requirement, or
Attend a monthly case study review seminar developed and conducted by physicians in the practice who do meet the minimum annual volume requirements for ultrasound examinations.

These quality assurance options must be developed by the practice and implemented before the practice is eligible to apply for ultrasound practice accreditation.

Physician Continuing Medical Education
Physicians in practices applying for obstetric, gynecologic or abdominal/general ultrasound accreditation must acquire 30 AMA PRA category 1 continuing medical education (CME) credits in ultrasound over 3 years.

Physicians in practices applying for breast ultrasound accreditation must acquire 10 AMA PRA category 1 continuing medical education (CME) credits in breast ultrasound over 3 years. These 10 credits may be applied to the 30 hours required of physicians in practices applying for accreditation in additional specialties.

Sonographer Criteria
Sonographers must be or become certified by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) in all areas for which the practice seeks accreditation. Sonographers who do not meet this requirement at the time of initial application must obtain ARDMS certification in at least 1 of the required specialties in the 3 years prior to reaccreditation, and every 3 years thereafter until this requirement is met. For more information, visit www.ardms.org or call 800-541-9754.

Sonographers who are not yet certified by ARDMS must earn 30 continuing medical education credits over 3 years. If the practice is applying for breast ultrasound accreditation, 10 of those credits must be in breast ultrasound.