Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month
Contributed by Jill Farr
Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month is an annual event intended to bring attention to the benefits of medical ultrasound, and highlight its value in the healthcare system.
Most of the general public is aware of the importance of ultrasound imaging in pregnancy, but many people lack familiarity with the uses of sonography for other diagnostic purposes, like vascular imaging or 3D or 4D sonography. Sharing information and educating people on the various uses of medical ultrasound can serve a double purpose; it can heighten comfort with procedures when they’re recommended by a family doctor or specialist, and it may also afford an opportunity for ultrasound professionals to take pride in the very important work that they do.
Diagnostic sonography is an important element of modern medical treatment and is a continually growing sector. New applications being researched and developed consistently, increasing its usefulness, but without skilled sonographers, medical ultrasound is just technology. Honoring the work they do is an important element of Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month.
BB Imaging recently held a retreat for staff members and honored a few individuals for their stellar job performance and dedication to the profession. One honoree, Michael E. Gregory, R.T(R), RDMS, RDSC, RVT (and a Senior Member of AIUM) had this to say about the responsibility of sonographers, and in particular, those providing mobile imaging, as BB Imaging does...
“I do one thing,” Michael said. “I show up.”
“In more than 40 years of working in this field, I can count on one hand the number of times I have called in or taken a sick day.”
“If there is one thing I would try to emphasize to my colleagues, especially the younger technologists, it would be to just show up. Nowhere in medical imaging is it more paramount to “just show up” than in mobile imaging, as a third-party vendor or as a temp.”
“This would be my testament to my fellow sonographers; be accountable and present, not only for your clients, your patients, and your employer...but for yourself.”
This October, you can celebrate Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month by promoting the understanding of the technology through sharing information, but if you’re a sonographer, you can also give yourself a big pat on the back--you deserve it!