Sonographer

Title: Sonographer
Division: Clinic
Department: Clinic
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Reports To: Medical Director, GYN
Direct Reports: None

Purpose: The Staff Sonographer functions as a healthcare provider who works under the delegated authority of the supervising physician, serving as a medical imaging professional providing clinically relevant information to assist the physician with the diagnosis and treatment of patients. The Staff Sonographer role and responsibilities include providing diagnostic medical sonography services and its various clinical specialties. The Staff Sonographer activities are performed consistent with their education and training, and in accordance with facility policies and procedures and applicable professional standards.

Key Job Responsibility Areas 

1. Sonography
2. Equipment Use & Maintenance
3. Documentation & Reporting
4. Miscellaneous

Detail of Key Job Responsibility Areas

1. Sonography

1. Prepare exam room and ultrasound equipment to conduct sonography examinations in accordance with infections disease, sterilization, and patient safety protocols, policies, and procedures.
2. Assume responsibility for the safety of the patient during the sonographic examination.
3. Review patient medical history and supporting clinical information.
4. Ensure that the sonography examination order is complete, contains relevant information, and meets the standard of “medical necessity.”
5. Evaluate any contraindications, insufficient patient preparation, and the patient’s inability or unwillingness to tolerate the examination and associated procedures.
6. Communicate with the patient in a manner appropriate to the patient’s ability to understand.
7. Use proper patient positioning tools, devices, equipment adjustment, and ergonomically correct scanning techniques to ensure patient comfort and safety, and to prevent compromised data acquisition and musculoskeletal injury to the sonographer.
8. Conduct patient clinical assessment and perform the diagnostic medical sonography examination ordered by the supervising physician in accordance with professional and facility protocols.
9. Apply independent, professional, ethical judgment, and critical thinking to safely perform diagnostic sonography procedures.
10. Apply independent judgment during the sonography examination to ensure that appropriate anatomical, pathological, and clinical conditions are accurately captured in the examination images.
11. Except as authorized by written facility policies and procedures, refer specific diagnostic, treatment or prognosis questions to the appropriate physician or healthcare professional.
12. As necessary, acquire additional ultrasound imaging to facilitate optimum diagnostic results for the interpreting physician.
13. Identify and document any limitations to the sonography examination.
14. Review examination images, synthesize examination results, and prepare the preliminary findings, documenting those in the electronic health record (EHR)
15. Except as authorized by written facility policies and procedures, refer specific diagnostic, treatment or prognosis questions to the appropriate physician or healthcare professional.
16. Maintain patient privacy and confidentiality in accordance with privacy laws (e.g., HIPAA) and facility policies, and procedures.
17. Adhere to accepted professional and ethical standards.
18. Provide patient services consistent with the Scope of Practice and Clinical Standards for the Diagnostic Sonographer.
19. Provide preliminary report of sonography examinations for use by the interpreting physician.

2.  Equipment Use & Maintenance

1. Perform quality control procedures to ensure that the ultrasound equipment operates at optimal levels.
2. Exercise responsibility to ensure that the ultrasound equipment is functioning accurately.
3. Assume responsibility for the preventive maintenance program for ultrasound equipment.

3.  Documentation & Reporting

1. Document any incidental findings that might impact patient safety or patient care and provide that information to the interpreting physician.
2. Operate the Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS).
3. Exercise responsibility for the maintenance and accuracy of facility reports, database records and logs.

4.  Miscellaneous

1. Requires the ability and commitment to respect and support inclusiveness and diversity including but not limited to individuals of different backgrounds, cultures, races, ages, sexual orientations, gender identities or expressions, experiences, opinions, etc.
2. Requires individual demonstration of commitment to the One Trillium behaviors and business impacts and modeling them in the organization.
3. Responsible for maintaining confidentiality of all patient, client, employee, protected and proprietary information.
4. Employees are accountable for meeting the performance standards of their departments and must participate as requested in compliance audits, process improvement and quality improvement plans.
5. Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Sonography education, training, and experience in the specialty area(s) to be performed. Demonstrated competence in the specialty area(s) to be performed, including sonographer certification by the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS), American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT), and/or Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI). Demonstrated commitment to professional growth and lifelong learning (e.g., continuing medical education in the specialty area(s) performed, higher education, research, staff training, etc.).Demonstrated proficiency with computer skills and software programs used for documentation activities and report generation. State sonographer licensure, where applicable.

Physical Requirements

While performing the duties of this job the employee is required to stand, sit, walk, use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms, talk and hear. Occasionally the employee must stoop, bend and lift or move up to 25 lbs. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

In support of the Americans with Disabilities Act, this job description lists only those responsibilities and qualifications deemed essential to the position.