JRCERT Accreditation 101 for Radiologic Science Professionals

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JRCERTAccreditation 101for Radiologic Science
Professionals

• 23rd Atlanta Student Radiographers Seminar and
  Educators Conference
• Atlanta, GA
• March 1 - 4, 2008

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Initiatives at JRCERT

• Standards Revision (2010)
• Electronic submission of accreditation materials
• On-line learning modules for program officials
• Outcomes assessment
• JRCERT forms completion
• Broadcast e-mails to Program Directors
• Timeliness Taskforce
• Evening/weekend rotations
• Progress Reports Clinical Instructor/Clinical
  Supervisor

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Professional Staff

• Leslie F. Winter, M.S., R.T.(R)
• Chief Executive Officer
• Joey S. Battles, M.A.Ed., RT (R)(CT)(QM)(MR)
• Associate Director
• Penny Brinkman, M.S.Ed., RT(R)
• Assistant Director
• Barbara A. Burnham, B.S., R.T.(R), FASRT, FAHRA
• Accreditation Specialist
• Thomas A. Brown, M.A.Ed., R.T.(R)
• Accreditation Specialist
• Jay Hicks, M.S.R.S., R.T.(R)
• Accreditation Specialist

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Accreditation defined . . .

• Accreditation is the process of voluntary,
  external peer review in which a nongovernmental
  agency grants public recognition to an
  institution or specialized program of study that
  meets established qualifications and complies
  with educational standards, as determined through
  initial and subsequent periodic evaluations.

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Accreditation

• Recognizes programs level of performance,
  integrity and quality in regard to academics,
  administration, and services
• Is a peer review process intended to strengthen
  and sustain quality and integrity
• Guarantees that certain minimum standards are
  being met

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Characteristics

• Voluntary
• External
• Peer
• Nongovernmental
• Compliance with Standards

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Types

• Institutional (regional) - seeks to assess the
  overall quality and integrity of an institution
• High level
• No review of clinical component, adherence to
  recognized curriculum, faculty qualifications,
  etc.
• Specialized (or programmatic) - seeks to address
  educational endeavors at the program level

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The JRCERT

• Is the only agency recognized by USDE to accredit
  educational programs in radiography and imaging
  sciences
• Accredits educational programs in radiography,
  radiation therapy, MRI, medical dosimetry, and
  distance education

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Mission

• The Joint Review Committee on Education in
  Radiologic Technology is dedicated to excellence
  in education and to quality and safety of patient
  care through the accreditation of educational
  programs in radiation and imaging sciences.

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Value of Accreditation for Students

• Assures students that their educational programs
  will provide them, as graduates, with the
  requisite knowledge, skills, and values to
  competently perform the expected range of
  professional responsibilities
• . . . and assures that clinical experiences will
  be appropriately organized and supervised

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Value of Accreditation for Patients

• Assures the public that graduates have met the
  minimum level of competency as defined nationally
  by the profession

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Value of Accreditation for Profession

• Assures that educational programs will provide
  consistent minimum education as defined
  nationally by the profession

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Value of Accreditation for Faculty

• Helps assure that faculty/programs have equitable
  access to institutional services/resources
• Promotes ongoing self-evaluation and continuous
  improvements by identifying strengths and
  weakness
• Provides an effective system for accountability

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Other Constituents that Benefit from Accreditation

• Employers
• Provide assurance that curriculum covers
  essential skills/knowledge for todays jobs
• Ensure graduates are prepared for practice
• Health Care Workers
• Involve practitioner in establishment of
  Standards
• Assure that educational requirements reflect the
  current training needs of profession

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Other Constituents that Benefit from Accreditation

• Federal Government
• Serves as a basis for determining eligibility for
  federally funded programs and financial aid
• Program
• Enhances its national reputation
• Represents peer recognition

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Taskforce Conducting Research on Programmatic
Accreditation Identified the Following Benefits

• Ongoing Review Improvement
• Program Mission/Goals Clarified
• Fosters Ongoing Planning
• Trustworthy External Peer Review
• Promotes Integrity Professionalism
• Respects Institutional Autonomy

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Research Further Demonstrated

• 90 of student surveys and 85 of alumni surveys
  indicated that accreditation had an impact on the
  quality of education they received

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Accreditation Quality
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Accreditation Process

• Official Report
• Response
• Accreditation Award
• Standards

• Application
• Self Study
• Site Visit
• Exit Report

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Board of Directors

• ACR - 2 (Radiologist and Oncologist)
• ASRT - 3
• AEIRS - 1
• AHRA - 1
• Public - 1

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Contact Information

• 20 North Wacker Drive, Suite 2850
• Chicago, IL 60606-3182
• [phone]
• mail_at_jrcert.org
• www.jrcert.org