This material was developed to comply with the   Massachusetts  Department of Public Health's   regulatory requirement that hospitals "... establish   policies and procedures for limiting the perform-   ance of fluoroscopic procedures to only those   health care providers who ... have been granted   privileges for the use of fluoroscopy based on   their demonstrated competency  ..."      (see Mass State Mar/2012  for the full  text.)

These regulations result from reports of "... occasional, but at times severe, radiation-induced skin injuries to patients resulting from prolonged, fluoroscopically guided invasive procedures" (FDA Advisory). Such injuries have continued to occur even after the Advisory was re-issued and updated in 1996.

This program provides educational information on fluoroscopy radiation risks and methods to reduce these risks to both patients and personnel. The initial training program consists of an On-Line Fluoro Tutorial (with an on-line Quiz) and a Fluoro Equipment In-Service one hour “lab”). After successful completion of initial training, the annual training requirement for subsequent years can be met by completing the On-Line Fluoro Tutorial component only. Note: Radiologists must complete initial training, but are exempt from subsequent annual training.

Target Audience

All licensed physicians, including fellows and residents, who use or anticipate using fluoroscopic equipment at BMC, including (but not limited to) anesthesiologists, cardiologists, gastroenterologists, interventionalists, orthopedists, pain management physicians, pulmonologists, radiologists, surgeons, and urologists.