Since the original 2002 American College of Radiology White Paper on MR Safety, the standards of professional practice for

MRI safety have called on providers to have a designated MRI Safety Director (Officer). In 2008, The Joint Commission, in their Sentinel Event Alert #38, Preventing accidents and injuries in the MRI suite, reiterated the call for an MRI Safety Officer. Recently updated in early 2013, the UK Society and College of Radiographers Safety in MRI guidance document also prescribes the role of a MRI Safety Advisor among their recommendations. While the major international accrediting / professional bodies have consistently called for MRI providers to have dedicated MRI Safety Officers / Advisors, until now, no model description of duties and responsibilities of this position existed. Aegys Pro-MRI is proud to offer our model description of the position of MRI Safety Director. This template draws on the authoritative recommendations of multiple national accreditation organizations as well as the consensus of the Aegys Pro-MRI team. We will be following this responsibility description template with an upcoming corresponding description for the MRI Medical Director. MRI Safety Director (Officer) - Technologist The MRI Safety Director (Officer) position requires that the individuals job duties have him / her working regularly in the MRI suite in order to maintain an ongoing awareness of the clinical and operational practices of that service. The MRI Safety Director (Officer) coordinates closely with the MRI Medical Director (with whom resides final authority for all medical decisions concerning MRI), who may not regularly work within the MRI suite. As such, the MRI Safety Director is the penultimate authority on safe practices within the MRIdepartment and, in the absence of the MRI Medical Director, has authority over all practices within the MRI department as they relate to safety. In collaboration with MRI Medical Director, the MRI Safety Director develops, implements, and manages the MRI safety program, policies, and procedures, including screening, access controls, and staff training. The MRI Safety Director (Officer) directs the organization's MRI safety program- including ancillary staff education and record maintenance of such education, in accordance with the established continuous safety training recommendations of the latest ACR Guidance document or appropriate alternative. The MRI Safety Director (Officer) is responsible for annual MRI technologist safety competency assessments. The MRI Safety Director (Officer) is responsible for MRI safety level assignments of personnel based on organizational approved guidelines. At a minimum, a facility should provide two distinct levels of MRI training. The first should be trained to a level where they are aware of the environmental hazards, and competent in practices of self-protection (Level 1). The second AegysProMRI2013

should additionally include awareness of the hazards and protections directly associated with MR imaging (including SAR, and induced currents), and a responsibility over untrained individuals within the MRI environment (Level 2). The MRI Safety Director (Officer) must be aware of MRI safety laws, accreditation standards, and standards of practice to ensure maintenance of organizational compliance. The MRI Safety Director (Officer) will stay abreast of the current industry safety trends and routinely communicate such trends to the MRI Medical Director and the front line MRI technologists via scheduled MRI Safety meetings and continuing education opportunities. The MRI Safety Director (Officer) maintains Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agents (GBCA) policy per organizational standards and, along with the MRI Medical Director, educates all MRI personnel of latest industry standards for GBCA usage. The MRI Safety Director (Officer) works collaboratively with MRI physicist (s) to maintain optimal image quality, perform medical device testing for safety and maintain organizational approved QA/ QC standards The MRI Safety Director (Officer) must demonstrate an extensive understanding of static and gradient magnetic fields, SAR, burn hazards, optimal patient positioning, acoustic noise hazards, and other MRI Safety concerns. The MRI Safety Director (Officer) must be aware of Indications for use and restrictions on use of the MRI system (s) and of the equipment intended for use in the MRI environment. The MRI Safety Director (Officer) is responsible for evaluation and compliance testing of any equipment to be used in the MRI department, including Zone 4. The MRI Safety Director (Officer) is responsible for MRI facility safety inspections with an approved safety inspector, to include quench pipe inspections and cryogen maintenanceincluding record maintenance of each. The MRI Safety Director (Officer) assures proper equipment maintenance via OEM suggested Preventive Maintenance The MRI Safety Director (Officer) is responsible for the identification, posting and enforcement of the 4 Zones recommended by the ACR. The MRI Safety Director (Officer) is responsible for reporting of and the maintenance of MRI safety and accident records. The MRI Safety Director (Officer), along with members of a process improvement team, will perform root-cause analyses, develop and implement a process improvement plan and initiate the redefined process to improve patient and staff safety within the MRI environment.

AegysProMRI2013

Recommended Job Qualifications Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 6 years of MRI experience. Advanced Certification in MRI with the ARRT or ARMRIT Familiarity with the operation of a variety of MRI vendor systems and equipment, concepts, practices, and procedures. This position has the authority to immediately cease unsafe activities or activities that are out of compliance with organizational MRI Safety Guidelines and applicable regulations, and will report such instances for further review to the organizational MRI Safety Committee, who will determine a course of action.

AegysProMRI2013