RSTI FocalSpot > Fall 2012

FALL 2012

RSTI-TRAINING.COM RADIOLOGICAL service TRAINING INSTITUTE > News from the Leader in Radiological Service Training > ISSUE 2012.4

27 YEARS OF Maximum Value for Your Educational Growth and Development

President’s Letter..................2 Testimonial: The Pay Off.....4 Roadshow Report...................5 Equipment Lifecycles............6 Private Practice X-ray......... 9 2012-13 Schedule....... 10-11 The Big Question................. 13 Trends in Training................14 New Course Dates..............15 Onward & Upward.............16 Course Index........................ 19

RE-FOCUS ISSUE

EXAMINE EXPLORE

ENROLL

SECOND LIFE

Taking Advantage of Your Used Equipment

GOING MOBILE

How RSTI Can Help State of OH Reg. No. 93-09-1377T ©2012 RSTI | Design by MossMedia

OEM restrictions have exploded in recent years…

It used to take a quick phone call or a little ingenuity to troubleshoot and repair both hardware and software problems. You could calibrate the systems, the tubes, the II’s and replace parts or components with limited knowledge and hard work. Today the OEMs not only make it virtually (pun intended) impossible to accomplish any of that, but they have spiraled out of control under the guise of protection. Whom are they protecting you ask? Just their own bottom lines...In the June 2012 issue of Medical Dealer, in “Codes and Keys,” their authors concur that medical device manufacturers will “delay, deny and defer legitimate requests for access codes without which their technologies are effectively CRIPPLED.” Patrick K. Lynch, CBET, CCE. further states that, “we are not going to see any real teeth in this area until a Congressman’s daughter is killed because someone did not have the right repair information to calibrate.”

President’s Letter Fall in Focus Usually I have a singular focused idea to put into print for all of our Service Engineers and their respective management. Today I am going to change my historical format and discuss two (2) very important subjects for RSTI and for our industry at large.

1. OEM access restrictions whether they be passwords, keys, codes, dongles or dated, direct link via telephone or internet.

They all provide digital STOP signs and/or KEEP OUT signs for their bona fide owners.

2. RSTI also provides the special emphasis curriculum for ECPI College’s, Associate of Science Degree in Electronics Engineering. It features RSTI’s imaging training in the classroom and in the labs.

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Later on in the same article, he states that it is “like buying a new car with a padlock and chain on the hood.” In this terrific article I learned that it costs him approximately $8,000 per machine to access device codes, and that the price “is specifically priced to encourage you not to do the work yourself and to maintain the extremely profitable (for the OEM) repair contract.”

At the end of the day, we all know what’s going on...Mr. Lynch is the first of many who are vocal on the subject and willing to be quoted. At RSTI we know that service/repair contracts cost a facility 10-15% of the original cost of the equipment to keep it running 24/7 to the original required specs. With training in house for a hospital or third party group, that number can be significantly reduced, producing an immediate tangible cut in equipment maintenance costs that will carry forward year after year. Solid, uncompromising imaging training can have a complete return on investment in the first year. The KEY (no pun intended), is the subject of part two (2) of this letter.

Independent, certified diagnostic imaging training is the only way to go for comprehensive, first quality, hands-on education. Yes, you can find cheaper, shorter and less intensive requirements at our competitors. Yes, you can find more expensive, longer and less detailed training at the OEM’s training facility. And finally, yes, you can find the average parts and/or equipment company that can “name that tune,” in imaging training in less than 1/2 the time and price. We all know who these companies are and where they are located. If you

want to be trained by someone pulled from the field for 3 days, who needs to get back to his job, it can be done.

If you want to be trained by the OEM where you bought your equipment, you can learn by looking at the back of the instructor, while he demonstrates on equipment you cannot touch. Once you take the covers off, it is hands off for everyone but the instructor.

So the question for you is what level of detail do you want in your education or the education of your staff? Fast, cheap or incomplete may look good on the budget temporarily, but disciplined education for 8 hours a day requires a whole different mindset. The RSTI method will produce better qualifications for you right now and the information gleaned will serve you well for your entire career. If you want to genuinely improve your knowledge personally and your value to your organization, you need to spend time with us at RSTI and here is why: 1. RSTI’s certificate of completion, received upon successful completion of any of our courses, is the gold standard in the industry. Every hospital knows the quality of hands-on education provided in our training center. Several OEMs come to us for training to get our Certificate of completion. It’s a critical ingredient in selling their service contracts, because hospitals require the RSTI stamp of approval. No one else has done it consistently for 27 years in a row.

2. RSTI’s masters instructors have been here for a minimum of 10 years. These are full-time dedicated professionals who spend countless hours learning new equipment and writing new curriculum. They also take the older curriculum and update it to account for the changing trends in technology.

3. RSTI newer instructors spend hours in front of our staff practicing their presentation to hone their skills at communication and retention by the students. They all start slowly and are carefully groomed to take on their first class, which never happens without a Master Instructor present.

4. RSTI has a blended training lab structure. It allows students to learn on 10-12 year old equipment, all the way up to brand new equipment. We teach specific

machines or a crossover class using equipment from as many OEM’s as possible. We supplement these multivendor courses with family classes where we can teach different generations of the same modality from a specific OEM. 5. RSTI never loses touch with its students over any amount of time. Once you are a part of our educational family, you are one of us. You know who we are, what we can provide, and how we can help at a moment’s notice. You may have had a few too many at student night out, but we are right there with the aspirin first thing in the morning. That’s right, we start at 8:30am every morning no matter what happened the night before.

6. RSTI’s environment is unique. It’s all about our students, their education, their welfare and their future.

We help servicemen find veteran financing, we help some find a job, and we answer the phone everyday, every time in English during normal business hours.

7. RSTI training does not end once class is over. Our instructors now send out annual surveys to students who attend product specific courses. Each survey is geared to find out the most common fail items and service experiences on the machine(s) on which they were trained.Then we organize and share these with the same student list, so that everyone can gain from another student’s experience.

The message is simple...OEMs can’t wait to sell you more equipment, and once you are hooked they want to gouge you with lucrative service contracts to line their pockets. Do yourself and your facility a favor and look before you leap. A deal is only good if you compare apples with apples. For every dollar spent at RSTI your payback personally and professionally will add dollars in your pocket, and reduce expenses at a time when hospitals are hemorrhaging with losses.

Hope to see you here soon!

Jim Monro P R E S I D E N T, R S T I

If you have any stories about your experience at RSTI, we would love to hear them.

Feel free to call Jim or email jmonro@rsti-training.com.

Cover Photo Courtesy of MossMedia, LLC ©2011

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Testimonial: Investing In Your Career Proof RSTI Can Really Pay Off! Warren Gray, R&F Imaging, Austell, GA

Warren recently completed RSTI’s X-Ray Certificate Series on August 31, 2012. Before Warren started at RSTI he went to a school in Georgia for Biomedical Engineering. During his schooling he did an internship with R & F Imaging. A couple of years later he was hired

by R & F Imaging. He has worked for his employer for 6 years; during those 6 years Warren learned a lot through working with other field engineers.

“I wanted more training. You can only learn so much from another field engineer. After coming to RSTI I learned WHY I’m doing what I’m doing. You don’t really learn the relationships between kV and mA or contrast and sharpness in the field,” Warren said.

“I had to pay for my own training. My boss suggested RSTI because they have up-to-date equipment and more equipment than the competitors. So I called and spoke to Anna and that was it. She sent me a package with information. After reading it, I thought ‘that’s what I’m going to do!’” Warren recalls.

When asked, “What would you change about RSTI?” Warren responded, “I love it here. I wouldn’t change anything. I feel the instructors have a real passion for 4 | focalspot.FALL.2012

what they are teaching. How they explain things in detail and their teaching methods are great! I would definitely recommend RSTI.” Warren actually started at RSTI with Phase II in August 2011. He had enough experience and knowledge to test out of Phase I. “I definitely studied before I took the test. I read all of my learning materials, so when I took the test it was no problem.”

When asked, ”What was the most important thing you learned?” Warren responded, “There are so many things.” But after thinking about it for a moment, he said, “I learned how the systems functioned as a whole. Learning how to troubleshoot was a big thing.

And I learned that this is a very small field with a very diverse group of people and how to interact with the different personalities.”

Congratulations to Warren on fulfilling his desire to become a qualified service professional and a RSTI Phase IV grad. People like Warren are the foundation of RSTI- service engineers with a hunger to continually learn and grow, both personally and professionally.

Ensuring their success is what RSTI is all about.

Roadshow Report CEAI CONFERENCE NOTES

By Mike Petelin RSTI Instructor At this year’s CEAI conference in Oak Brook, Illinois, much of the discussion was geared toward the impact the Affordable Care Act will have on biomed and imaging departments. Current legislation will reduce the reimbursement rates to hospitals while add adding costs to the vast majority of medical devices.

With this information, the discussion touched on the need to have the equipment function over a longer time frame, as well as having third parties and in-house Service Professionals take over OEM service contracts earlier than in the past. Which got me thinking, what else can we do, as Service Professionals, to help mitigate the costs of supplying healthcare services?

One idea came to mind: Proactive service. Proactive Service has to encompass everyone in the imaging department: the Service Professional, Technologist, and anyone else using the equipment.

If something happens with the equipment, whether it be an error or an unusual sound, we need to be aware

2012 Roadshow BAW Oct 17-19.......WISCONSIN DELLS, WI FBS Oct 26-28..................... Orlando, FL RSNA NOV 25-30....................... chicago, IL IBS JAN 18-19..............Indianapolis, IN

of the problem before it becomes a larger issue. We also need to trend our systems during PM’s. Many of the tests we complete and just mark pass or fail can tell us a great deal about the current and future status of the systems. For example, trending the HVL of a radiographic system can tell us we may have to budget for a new tube, rather than having to find the money when a failure occurs.

Got Film?

By Kelly Fitzgerald Marketing Director, Raysafe International regulations require that the x-ray radiation and light field should be aligned within 2% of the SID or even 5 mm at the chest wall for mammography.

Traditionally, screen-film cassettes have been used to make these critical measurements. The digitization of x-ray imaging makes this method increasingly challenging as cassettes and film processors are often hard to find. One new solution on the market, the Raysafe DXR+, provides an easy alternative to making these measurements with film. Designed to be positioned at the edge of the light field and exposed, the DXR+ has a digital display that shows you where the radiation exposure ends, enabling you to easily adjust the collimator to meet regulatory requirements.

The Raysafe DXR - Courtesy of www.raysafe.com The RaySafe DXR+ has no buttons. It simply turns itself on when exposed and offers a segment resolution of .25cm. Now the need for film can finally become a thing of the past.

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Equipment Lifecycles “Second Life”for Your Used Imaging Equipment

By Dale Cover RSTI Equipment VP & Instructor When the medical imaging equipment in your hospital or clinic has reached the end of its useful life – it shouldn’t mean it’s useless. There are many possibilities for a ‘second life’, if you will, for the equipment that no longer functions or fits your specific needs.

The first thing that comes to mind for most facilities is to use the equipment as a trade-in to defray some of the cost of purchasing a new or more technologically advanced system better suited to the current needs of the department. This is a perfectly valid way to dispose of old equipment but in some cases the old system is simply discarded or crushed to remove it from the used equipment market in an effort to improve future sales for the OEM that took it in on trade.

RSTI has a “second life” in mind for your used imaging equipment.

The loftiest purpose we can think of for the new life of your old equipment would be to help to improve the healthcare imaging prospects for medical facilities that don’t have large enough budgets to keep pace with the rising cost of staying on the cutting edge of technology.

More current technology would greatly benefit rural or county hospitals in the US. In some cases newer technology would best benefit the entire medical community by being installed at RSTI for education. In these cases we will install the equipment in our training labs to enhance our hands-on medical imaging service training classes.

Older equipment and lower level technology systems such as analog mammography and simple radiographic rooms will help to advance healthcare systems in developing countries around the world to provide the essential services we take for granted.

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Impoverished countries or those that have experienced devastating natural events would benefit from donated systems that would allow them to provide even the most basic of life saving healthcare services.

All of these systems will be tested at our facility prior to being repurposed at another facility to ensure that the system is functional and will be of the most benefit to its new owner.

Some pieces of equipment however cannot be returned to useful service as a complete or cost effective solution. In this case there is still some good that can come from them.

These systems can be harvested for parts to feed the supply chain and extend the life of other systems.

Others can be sold as-is to service providers around the world for parts.

In some cases the equipment you have in your facility has no value in either the equipment market or in the supply chain. In this case we can de-install the system for you and we will recycle it.

There is no telling how many soda cans could be made from a set of overhead tube hanger rails.

The copper from the transformers could come back as a winding in a wind turbine and have long lasting benefits for all.

Whatever the disposition of your system, we will find a second life for it. Reuse, replenish, recycle is our way helping to advance the medical arts world-wide and promote a greener future.

We would hope the next time you are purchasing a new piece of equipment you would think of us and help us to achieve our goals.

Far Beyond Parts We respond to Engineers and Medical Professionals in crisis, with immediacy, thoroughness, and friendly care—largely because we believe in our role in the “care continuum.” Bottom line, we keep these medical devices in service—bettering the lives of healthcare professionals and the patients they serve.

CONNECT WITH A WORLD LEADER. CALL CLASSIC. FACEBOOK: SEARCH FOR CLASSIC IMAGING TWITTER: FOLLOW @CLASSICIMAGING REMADE IN AMERICA

LINKEDIN: linkedin.com/company/classic-diagnostic-imaging

TOLL-FREE U.S. 866.818.9729 INTERNATIONAL 330.425.4400 ©2011

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3 GE Digital Rad Rooms in 1 Class!

By Todd Boyland RSTI Training VP We’ve added Another Digital RAD Room to Our Labs.

The GE Revolution XR/d 2X platform is just one of our latest additions. We’ve been offering training courses on the GE Revolution XR/d & XQ/I for a few years now.

The initial demand for training was for the XR/d 1X platform. The 1X platform consists of: Proteus XR/a table & OTS SCPU generator cabinet w/ the Titan control from the Advantx/Legacy R&F system Control console from the Advantx/Legacy R&F system Sun ADS computer system used in the Senographe Digital Mammo workstations Revolution 41cmx41cm digital table & wallstand detectors With the recent purchase of the 2X platform, we’ve adapted our XR/d course curriculum to include all Revolution XR/d & XQ/I systems. This new course is called the GE Revolution DR Family.

As before, the course includes the XR/d 1X platform & the XQ/i.

Explore our everchanging labs online!

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The addition of the 2x platform adds the following: Proteus XR/a table & OTS JEDI generator RCIM console HP Magic PC Revolution 41cmx41cm digital table & wallstand detectors This means the 2 week Revolution DR Family course will prepare the service professionals for servicing both the SCPU & JEDI generators, as well as the Sun ADS & HP Magic PC’s!

Students can expect a typical RSTI packed-withinformation course including full system calibrations on the generators, positioner calibrations, digital detector calibrations, full software loads, preventive maintenance procedures, troubleshooting , & diagnostics.

If your facility has a GE Revolution XR/d 1X, 2X, or both systems, this is a great opportunity to get those systems off OEM contract and into the hands of the RSTI Trained Service Professionals!

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for updates and special promotions!

Private Practice X-Ray Systems

By David Domanski RSTI Instructor

Happy Fall Everybody!

As the weather cools off and the leaves begin to change here in NE Ohio, course offerings here at RSTI are changing and heating up!

Do you spend a lot of time working on private practice X-Ray systems? Would you like to have a better handle on their X-ray generators? Well, you’re in luck. We are currently in the process of developing a class just for you!

The single greatest driver of course development and selection is our students. We exist to meet your needs, after all, and we do our level best to give you the tools to get the job done by providing all the skills and experience you need.

Private Practice X-Ray Systems Course Dates: November 26- 30, 2012 January 28- February 1, 2013 April 29- May 3, 2013

In order to accomplish this goal I am writing this missive to seek your opinion.

Which generators would you like to see covered in this class?

Del Medical / Universal?

CPI? Sedecal?

Summit?

There are many Private Practice systems on the market and many at RSTI want to build a class that will give you the best bang for your buck.

Private Practice X-ray Multivendor Training, Your Opinion Counts!

If a Multivendor Private Practice X-ray Systems class is of interest to you, please drop me a line at ddomanski@rsti-training.com and include a list of the generators that YOU would like to see offered in the class.

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RSTI 2012-2013 Course Schedule September 21, 2012

TRAINING COURSE TITLE

October

September 3

10

17

24

1

22

29

12

MANAGEMENT

C.A.M. (Capital Asset Management)

10

Dec 10-­‐21

Nov 5-­‐7

Oct 22-­‐ Nov 2 Dec 10-­‐ 14

Oct 1-­‐5 Nov 26-­‐ Dec 7

Oct 22-­‐ Nov 2 Oct 29-­‐ Nov 2

GE Revolution Family (XR/d 1X & 2X) GE Proteus (JEDI Generator) Sep 17-­‐ 19

Philips Bucky Diagnost Private Practice X-­‐Ray Systems

Shimadzu Mobileart Portable Siemens Mobilett Portable Multi-­‐Product C-­‐Arm OEC 9600/9800 Multi-­‐Product C-­‐Arm OEC 9800/9900

L A B O R

Oct 22-­‐26 Nov 5-­‐9 Oct 1-­‐5

Oct 15-­‐19

C-­‐Arm OEC 9900 Siemens Siremobile C-­‐Arm Philips BV Pulsera C-­‐Arm Siemens AXIOM Artis Family (FP)

D A Y

Oct 22-­‐ Nov 2

Sep 10-­‐ 14 Sep 10-­‐21

GE Innova Family (2100/3100/4100) Philips Integris Cath Lab System (Includes Generators)

Sep 10-­‐21

T H A N K S G I V I N G

Dec 3-­‐5 Nov 26-­‐ 30

Nov 26-­‐ 30 Nov 26-­‐ Dec 7

Dec 10-­‐21

Analog Multi-­‐Vendor Mammography (GE, Lorad, Siemens)

WOMEN'S HEALTH

Lorad Multicare Platinum Breast Biopsy System GE Digital Mammography Family (2000D/ DS/ ESSENTIAL) Digital Mammography (Hologic Selenia)

Dec 17-­‐ 21

Oct 8-­‐19 Sep 10-­‐21

Nov 26-­‐ Dec 7

Lorad MIV Platinum and ACR Oct 15-­‐19

Multi-­‐Vendor Bone Densitometry

ULTRASOUND

Nov 5-­‐16

Multi-­‐Vendor Ultrasound Sep 24-­‐ Oct 5

Principles of Servicing Computed Tomography Systems (Phase I) Advanced Computed Tomography System Maintenance (Phase II)

CT

Oct 8-­‐19 Nov 5-­‐16

GE Lightspeed CT

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Nov 26-­‐ 30

Oct 8-­‐12

GE VCT

Exhibits, Presentations And Special Notes

24

Nov 5-­‐16

GE Precision 500D R/F

GE AMX Portable (IV, IV+)

17

Oct 15-­‐26

GE Advantx 1, Advantx E, Legacy, Compax 40 GE Definium Family: Definium 6000/8000, Discovery XR650/XR656, Optima XR640

CARDIAC

3

PACS Engineer/Administrator Certification (Phase I) PACS Engineer/Administrator Certification (Phase II) Introduction to Networking & DICOM

C-ARM

26 Nov 26-­‐ Dec 7

Advanced Fluoroscopic System Maintenance (Phase III)

NETWORKING & DIGITAL INFORMATION

PORTABLES

19

Nov 5-­‐16

Advanced Diagnostic Imaging System Analysis (Phase IV)

PRODUCT SPECIFIC

5

Sep 17-­‐28

Advanced Radiographic System Maintenance (Phase II)

December

November

15

Oct 1-­‐12

Principles of Servicing Diagnostic X-­‐Ray Systems (Phase I)

X-RAY CERTIFICATE SERIES

8

NCBA Sep 12-­‐14

MDEXPO Oct 3-­‐5

FBS Oct 26-­‐28

RSNA Nov 25-­‐30

C H R I S T M A S

4

Register Online or Call 1-800-229-7784 Please see the Registration Form on P.19 for tuition prices and details.

January 31

7

14

21

February 28

4

11

March

18

25

Jan 7-­‐18 Jan 21-­‐ Feb 1

4

11

18

April 25

1

8

Feb 25-­‐Mar 8 Mar 11-­‐22

15

May 22

29

6

13

20

June 27

Apr 8-­‐19

3

10

17

24

June 3-­‐14

Apr 22-­‐ May 3

June 17-­‐28

Feb 4-­‐15

May 6-­‐17

Jan 7-­‐18

June 3-­‐14

Apr 15-­‐26

Apr 29-­‐ May 10

Apr 2-­‐4 Feb 11-­‐15 Apr 8-­‐19 Mar 18-­‐22 June 3-­‐14

Mar 4-­‐15 Feb 18-­‐Mar 1 Feb 25-­‐ Mar1

C H R

N E W

S T M A S

Y E A R S

Apr 8-­‐10

Jan 28-­‐ Feb 1

Apr 29-­‐ May 3 May 13-­‐17

Jan 7-­‐11 Mar 25-­‐29 Jan 14-­‐ 18

May 6-­‐10

Jan 21-­‐ 25

Feb 4-­‐15 Feb 18-­‐22

May 20-­‐24

Mar 25-­‐29

May 13-­‐24

Mar 18-­‐29 Mar 18-­‐29

M E M O R I A L

June 17-­‐28 June 10-­‐14

D A Y

Apr 2-­‐12 May 20-­‐24 June 3-­‐14

Jan 21-­‐Feb 1 May 13-­‐24

Feb 4-­‐15

June 24-­‐28

Mar 4-­‐8 Mar 4-­‐15 Feb 18-­‐Mar 1 Mar 4-­‐15 Apr 15-­‐26 Apr 29-­‐ May 3

Feb 4-­‐8

IBS Jan 19

* Class starts Tues.(Easter)

AAMI June 1-­‐3

State of OH Reg. No. 93-09-1377T | WWW.RSTI-TRAINING.COM | 11

RSTI TRAINS VETERANS Calling All Veterans Eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill

By Anna Morrison RSTI Registrar We are proud to introduce our first X-Ray Certificate Series graduate under Chapter 33, Robert Patterson.

There is great news for veterans eligible for Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill) who want to use their benefits at RSTI. You already know that RSTI is approved for veteran’s training.

Now, 100% tuition is covered for classes that are approved by the Ohio State Approving Agency under RSTI’s Diagnostic Imaging X-Ray Certificate Program and Diagnostic Imaging Diploma Program!

That’s right, the post-9/11 GI Bill pays 100% of tuition costs for Phases I-IV of RSTI’s X-Ray Certificate Series, up to the NEW ANNUAL CAP AMOUNT of $18,077.50 for those students eligible at the 100% level.

In addition, veterans are also entitled to receive a living/housing allowance of approximately $1100 per month (actual amount is based on 2012 BAH rates) and books/fees allowance of approximately $83 per month.

Five other veterans are currently enrolled in the Diagnostic Imaging X-Ray Certificate Program. What a great opportunity for them to apply the educational assistance they have earned by serving our country!

Visit www.gibill.va.gov to see if you are eligible.

Then, contact Anna Morrison, RSTI’s Training Registrar and School Certifying Official, to get registered, by calling 800-229-7784 or sending an email to registration@rsti-training.com.

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The Big Question “Why RSTI? �

The cycle of service moves from In-house to ISO to OEM and starts again. Not necessarily in that order but you get the picture.

Now while all this change is taking place it is always nice to have a solid rock upon which you can stand.

RSTI is that rock! While all this and more is going on we have been the place to come for educating service engineers. That has not changed in 27 years. Here are a few reasons Why RSTI ?

RSTI is a neutral party - What exactly does that mean? That means we are beholden to no one but you, the customer.

RSTI is independently owned - Not by any Vendor, ISO, Hospital group, or anyone else that has any other reason to see you but to train you. Since we were formed in 1985 our mission has been multivendor multi-modality diagnostic imaging training.

By John Drew RSTI Marketing VP & Instructor I have been with RSTI since February of 2002, just over ten years now. Much has transpired in our industry since then. Let me name just a few things to get this article started: We have seen digital systems flourish and film systems decline.

Film companies have moved into digital systems themselves to stay alive.

When I joined RSTI most of our students were imaging guys and that is all they did. Now most are or were biomedical engineers that have taken on the added responsibility of maintaining imaging equipment.

Experience - We have a staff of 6 technical trainers that have years of training, field, and technical support experience behind them. Most are exmilitary and all have a single focus when it comes to training, YOU! Ensuring that you have the tools, knowledge, confidence and ability to maintain and repair the equipment you come to training for.

Facility - RSTI constantly updates our inventory of equipment to reflect the field. As your needs change for service so do we.

The RSTI experience - It is a combination of instructors, support staff, curriculum and facility that ensure you will be provided with the best learning environment around. Join us for a class and see for yourself what the RSTI experience is.

Next time someone asks you where do want to go for training, we would like for you to choose us. If you are currently in the RSTI family, thank you, and we look forward to seeing you again in the future. If there is a need you have in the training arena let us know, perhaps we can help.

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Trends in Training New Season...New Thinking.

The mobile systems that will be used to examine these potential injuries in said emergency rooms will start working overtime and will require a lot more maintenance than usual.

There has been a rise in popularity of portable units from two manufacturers in particular, Siemens and Shimadzu, and their units are not exempt from the higher demand of use and trouble calls. The RSTI staff noticed a deficiency in training opportunities across the country and created two new portable training courses to fill the void in education on these systems.

By Matt Mondello RSTI Instructor As a great summer comes to a close, Autumn rings in with the sights and sounds of a fall season full of excitement getting underway.

Some of the bigger attractions of fall are the multiple sports programs kicking off in conjunction with the back to school rush. For the young adults, it’s probably not as big a deal as it is for the service professionals in our industry.

Inevitably, with the massive number of athletes participating in these sports and school programs around the country and the world, injuries will occur and the emergency rooms will start to fill up.

(By this point, one must be wondering what the point of the article is‌ read on!)

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We are proud to announce the newest additions to our plethora of training courses and portable X-ray education: the Siemens Mobilett and the Shimadzu MobileArt! Each is a one week course, offering training on multiple models within the respective OEM. The Siemens Course will cover the Mobilett XP Hybrid, Mobilett Plus, Mobilett Plus HP, Mobilett II and the Mobilett XP Digital.

The Shimadzu Course will include the following units: the MobileArt Evolution, MobileArt Plus (MUX- 100H/HJ ), MobileArt (MUX- 100 J /E), MobileArt II (MUX-100 JL/101JL), MobileDart Evolution (MUX -200D) and the MobileDart (MUX100D).

Outlines for each of these new courses are available on our website. We are excited to be able to serve your training requirements with these portable units as they come off contract. Combined with the GE AMX Portable training, RSTI is here to meet your portable training needs and we look forward to seeing you in class. Stay tuned for future additions to our portable training portfolio!

New Course Dates

A Letter o f Thanks...

Dear Dale,

2012 - 2013

Dave, and A nna, Just a note RSTI has p of appreciation for the lay part that Having “R ed in the development of my caree STI ” on m y resume ha r. increased th s defin e cr department edibility of my applicat itely ions sa an offer from nd managers. I recently with HR acc Toshiba to w ork as a leve epted service engin l one field eer and foun d that the t from RSTI rainin to of the interv be very useful for the va g received iew process. rious levels Th the informa tion and ad ank you very much for vice for the oppo rtunity to n each of you provided, an e d twork with involved in th so many folk e medical im s aging field.

Sincerely,

Shimadzu MobileArt Portable

November 5-9, 2012

March 25-29, 2013

Siemens Mobilett Portable

October 1-5, 2012

January 14-18, 2013

May 6-10, 2013

Dan A nde

P hase I &

Call 1-800-229-RSTI or visit www.rsti-training.com to register. vc_RSTI_ClrAd_8x5_11Sep7.pdf

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Unparalleled Accuracy & System Choice Measure Dose, Rate, kV, Time, HVL, Filtration, mA, Scatter / Leakage, Luminance / Illuminance and more.

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Vast Customizable Software Functionality

The Gold Standard in Radiation Measurement

T: (626) 357-7921 F: (626) 357-8863 sales@radcal.com

www.radcal.com

WWW.RSTI-TRAINING.COM | 15

Onward & Upward Your RSTI Education Continues Beyond the Classroom

By Todd Boyland RSTI Training VP RSTI students now have access to a database of “Common Failures� for a particular machine, even after training. Each product specific course RSTI teaches is launching a collaborative database of common failures and common issues for that product. Annual student questionnaires are used to update the database and add knowledge that instructors & students learn over time as experience on the equipment further develops.

We strive to deliver training courses that adequately prepare the service engineer for the challenges they face in the field.

As students tackle problems in the field, they amass invaluable knowledge and experience that many other students could benefit from. The ability to share this knowledge with fellow students will allow RSTI students to access the most up-to-date information for troubleshooting and minimizing downtime.

I recently developed a web-based testing solution for our students called Moodle. Moodle allows students to download course handouts & take exams through a web server. Moodle provides instant feedback for quizzes and exams, as well as provides students an opportunity to view and download course updates even after their course is complete. The Common Failure database will be available to students in Moodle, after course completion.

RaySafe Xi Simply Preferred Why is the RaySafe Xi preferred by the majority of state inspectors, physicists and large imaging companies?

Setup to first measurement takes under a minute Extremely portable and easy-to-use Accurate across the entire spectrum of measurements Call us for a no obligation demonstration and see for yourself why RaySafe Xi is simply preferred.

1-508-435-5600 info.us@raysafe.com www.raysafe.com

16 | focalspot.FALL.2012

Calling All Students

By Terry Speth

RRRIIINNNNGGG – “Hello?”

“Hi, this is Terry Speth with RSTI. You probably already know that RSTI provides the best independent service training available, but did you know that we also buy and sell imaging systems? I am calling to find out if your facility has any equipment that is being replaced now or in the near future. If you don’t have anything now, I would like to send you some information about how RSTI can be of assistance when you do.”

We are planning on calling you soon to ask what pre-owned equipment your facility might have. It could be old equipment you want removed and disposed of, a machine you’re trading in for an upgrade or even an end-of-life machine. If you are a facility that has equipment in storage and don’t know what to do with it, you can turn it in to CASH! You’ve heard the phrase “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” right? You may be storing the perfect parts unit for someone. There is a great demand for pre-owned equipment overseas, too. If you don’t hear from us in the near future and you have some equipment you’d like us to take off your hands, we would love to hear from you.

We can offer what no one else can, RSTI TRAINING CREDITS!!! Think of this as a way to enhance your training experience. Using your old equipment for training is a great way to get back to RSTI. So call us. We always love to hear stories about classes, student night out, or even bad jokes that our instructors told. If you want to come back for class and it is not in your budget, this is your answer. Training or CASH, whatever works best for you!

Email Darrel Kile, or me, Terry Speth, a list of equipment, or piece of equipment you have available. It’s easy and won’t take much time. Usually we can tell you immediately what the value is and what we can offer you. If you are planning on removing rooms in the next few months, that’s great too. We can help you schedule the removal, de-install and/or pick up the equipment ourselves. We also can sell your machine for you on consignment.

I promise we’ ll be nice. See how harmless we look?

Terry Speth

Darrel Kile

tspeth@rsti-training.com 800.229.7784

dkile@rsti-training.com 800.229.7784

WWW.RSTI-TRAINING.COM | 17

RSTI Equipment

Squeezing Training Dollars

JOIN THE FUTURE OF CLINICAL TECHNOLOGY.

At the end of a fiscal year money is always hard to come up with. When it comes to training dollars, especially, ARAMARK experiencing significant engineers are onHealthcare the backTechnologies burners of is budget meetings.

It’s easier than you thought to find your way to the growth, and we need oustanding people to join our team. training center.

Equipment VALUATION WORKSHEET OEM/Manufacturer ______________________

WE’RE HIRING:

Give •usTechnology a call about your used equipment that is for Date of Manufacture _____________________ Managers • Imaging Service Engineers (all levels) sale. If you are disposing any equipment now or in the • Senior Technology Managers • Biomedical Technicians (all levels) next few weeks, I can give you training credits towards Date of Tube ___________________________ a new class! It’s easy… fill out the short questionnaire WE OFFER: below, and fax it back to one of us: Terry Speth, or Gantry Slice____________________________ • Relocation Assistance • Technical Training Darrel Kile. We handle the purchasing of equipment, • Advancement Opportunities • Competitive Salaries and we can give you a good idea of the value of the Installed Y / N • Comprehensive Benefits • Tuition Reimbursement equipment over the phone. It’s that simple!

Floor Mount/Ceiling Mount_ _______________

THE BEST THE BUSINESS. Fax orJOIN e-mail yourTEAM info,INToday!

online at www.aramark.com/careers. (EOE) Phone:Apply 440.349.4700 Fax: 440.349.2053 Email: tspeth@rsti-training.com Copyright 2012, all rights reserved Email: ©dkile@rsti-training.com

Software Level_ ________________________ Accessories / More Information_____________

Replace your Siemens Diagnostic X-Ray Tube with a New Varian!

OPTI 150

SG-256B: SG-292B: SG-296B: SG-796B:

Opti 150/30/50C Opti 150/40/82C Opti 150/40/73C Opti 150/40/80C

Our New Optitop Replacement: SG-1096: Opti 150/40/80HC at 840 kHU

Metal Center Technology Tubes for your Siemens Lab SG-1560 for Mega 125/30/82C(G)M SG-1590 BI for Mega 125/40/82CM SG-1590 TRI for Mega 125/15/40/82CGM

www.varian.com/interay

Now Available!

A New replacement for the Opti 150 housing:

Varian B-199

“All trademarked terms are property of the respective manufacturer.”

Siemens Trinity half page 2009.indd 1 18 | focalspot.FALL.2012

For more information go online for a datasheet, or contact your preferred dealer.

USA Contact Information Varian Interay 1-800-INTERAY TEL 1-843-767-3005 FAX 1-843-760-0079 E-mail interay.sales@varian.com

Europe Contact Information Varian X-ray Products Germany TEL 49-2154-924-980 FAX 49-2154-924-994 sales-xray@varian.com

12/9/09 10:26:55 PM

Course Index & Registration

Course Index & Registration

X-RAY CERTIFICATE SERIES

WOMEN’S HEALTH

Phase I…………….……………………………………………................….….$4495 (for 2 weeks) Phase II…………………………........……………….………………… ……………….….$4695 (for 2 weeks) Phase III…………..……………………………….…………….……..……… ………….$4895 (for 2 weeks) Phase IV…………..……………………………………………….….……….….$49 ……….….$4995 (for 2 weeks)

Multi-Vendor (for 2 weeks) Vendor Mammography Systems...................................$5995 Systems...........

Multicare Platinum.................................... .........................................................$2995 (for 1 week) (for 2 weeks) Hologic Selenia (DR) ...............................................................$12995 ............................. (for 2 weeks) GE Digital Mammography Family (DR) .................................$12995 .........

(2000D, DS, Essential) ..............................................$3995 (for 1 week) Multi-Vendor Bone Densitometry......

PACS Administrator/Engineer Certification Phase I…………….…………………………………........................... .............….….$4995 (for 2 weeks) Phase II……………………………………….………………….……… ……………..….$4995 (for 2 weeks)

Mobile C-Arms OEC 9600/9800.................................. ...................................................$6995 (for 2 weeks) (for 2 weeks) OEC 9800/9900..........................................................................$7995 9800/9900.................................. (for 1 week) OEC 9900.......................................................................................$4995 9900..................................................

Siemens Siremobile C-Arm Arm ........................................................$3995 (for 1 week) Philips BV Pulsera C-Arm Arm ............................................................$3995 (for 1 week)

RAD & R/F PRODUCT SPECIFIC GE Precision 500D………….……………………………………....……..….$9995 (for 2 weeks) GE Revolution Family: XR/d 1X & 2X (DR) …………….… ….…..….$9995 (for 2 weeks) GE Advantx Family..……….…………………………….…………… ……....….$5995 (for 2 weeks) (Advantx vantx 1, Advantx E, Legacy, Compax 40) GE Proteus XR/a .………………………….……………………..…… ……..………...….$3995 (for 1 week) GE Definium Family (DR)................................................ ................$9995 (for 1 week) (Definium 6000/8000, Discovery XR650/656, Optima XR640) Philips Bucky Diagnost….……………….……………………..……….. ………………..………...….$2995 (for 1 week) Private Practice X-Ray Systems….….……..……………..……….. ..……………..………...….$2995 (for 1 week)

Ultrasound Multi-Vendor (for 2 weeks) Vendor Ultrasound Systems...........................................$5995 Systems........

Management Capital Asset Management.........................................................$1995 (for 1 week) Management...........................

Introduction to Networking & DICOM.........................................$1995 (for 3 days) DICOM.........

Cardiac CATH LABS Philips Integris R/F Cath Lab System........................... .......................$9995 (for 3 weeks) Siemens Axiom Artis (DR) .................................................. .............$14995 (for 2 weeks) GE Innova 2100/3100/4100 (DR) .............................. ................$14995 (for 2 weeks)

CT (Computed Tomography) Phase I..........................................................................................$4995 (for 2 weeks) ...............................................$5995 (for 2 weeks) Phase II.....................................................

GE LightSpeed Multi-Slice.................. .......................................................$7995 (for 2 weeks) GE VCT....................................................... ..................................................$5295 (for 1 week)

Portable X-RAY GE AMX Portables: IV and IV Plus..................................... .....................$2995 (for 1 week) Shimadzu MobileArt Portables…….............................................$2995 ...............$2995 (for 1 week) Siemens Mobilett Portables........................................................$2995 (for 1 week)

Effective 6/1/12 Effective 06 0 6 /01/2012

Cancellation Policy - Tuition is only refundable if cancellation is received in writing by RSTI at least 14 calendar days prior to the course or seminar date. da Allow 30 days for receipt of the refund. Registrants who cancel within 14 days of the course or seminar eminar date will have the tuition transferred to another course or seminar on a space available basis. In the event that a co course does not attain our minimum enrollment, RSTI may postpone it. Paid tuition will remain on account to be applied to the rescheduled resche class.

Payment Due Policy - Payment for all courses and/or seminars is due three full weeks in advance of the course start date. Purchase orders are accepted, but also must be paid one week acce prior to the course start date. We also accept VISA, MasterCard, ard, American Express, and Discover as a method of payment. All past due invoices will be assessed a late fee of 1.5% per mon month on any unpaid balances.

Schedule - Typically, courses run from 8:30 am-4:30 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. You will receive a detailed detailed schedule when we confirm your registration. You should schedule your incoming flight to arrive Sunday afternoon or evening. On the last Friday, class ends at 12:00 noon. You may schedule your return flig flight ht any time in the midmid to late-afternoon.

Full Coverage Package - You are responsible for expenses you incur while attending courses. However, RSTI has negotiated a reduced package rate that includes 12 nights hotel accommodations, transportation between the hotel and training center, breakfast, and lunch. lunch. We will notify you of this rate when you enroll; if you wish, we can add the full coverage package cost to your tuition.

Course Materials - In addition to specially designed manuals and daily course handouts, you will also receive where appropriate:

• •

Document package of the lecture Flow diagrams

• •

• •

Troubleshooting charts Performance evaluation forms

Class Photograph Certificate of Completion

Due to copyright issues, some courses require that students bring their own manuals. These may include, but are not limited to, Operators Manual, Service Manual and Schematics. We will advise you of this when you enroll.

Make checks payable to: Radiological Service Training Institute (RSTI)

• •

Tuition and Full Coverage Package rates are subject to change.

Please confirm rates with our Registrar when you enroll.

HOW TO REGISTER: Phone 440.349.4700

•

Fax 440.349.2053

•

www.rsti www.rsti-training.com/register

How to register: Phone 440.349.4700 • Fax 440.349.2053 • www.rsti-training.com/register.htm MAIL COMPLETED FORM TO: RSTI 30745 Solon Rd. Solon, Ohio. 44139 Mail completed form to: RSTI 30745 Solon Rd. Solon, Ohio. 44139 Course Name

Dates

1._________________________________________________________________

Course Name

_______________________________

Dates

_______________________________ 2._________________________________________________________________ 1. ____________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

________ Full Coverage Package (Yes or No)

2. ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Title __________________________ Name of class attendee ____ ____ ____ ____

________ Bill my organization P.O. ________ Full Coverage Package (Yes or No) ________ Registration fee enclosed: $________ Bill my organization. P.O. No. __________________________ ________ Bill my credit card: _____MasterCard _____Visa Registration fee enclosed: $ __________________________ _____AMEX _____Discover Bill my credit card: ___ MasterCard ___ VISA

___________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________ Company/Organization Phone Name___________________________________________________________________ of class attendee Title Address Fax ___________________________________________________________________ Company/Organization Phone City State Zip ___________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________ Email Address FAX

Exp Date __________ Number: __________________________ ___ AMEX ___ Discover Signature (required): ______________________________ ___________________________________ Number: _________________________ Exp. Date: __________

City

Signature (required):___________________________________

Email

State

Zip

CRES Certification RSTI has made it easy for you to become CRES certified.

Our CRES self-study package is a powerful tool to help you focus on specific certification objectives. There are nine different criterion-referenced modules that give a comprehensive review of subjects covered on the exam.

The nine modules are entitled: • Anatomy and Physiology • Radiographic Physics • Electricity and Electronics • Radiographic Equipment Applications • Fluoroscopic Imaging • Radiographic Circuit Operation • Regulations and Laws • Technical Problem Solving • CRES Exam Review

Mastering these topics will enable you to succeed on the final CRES Certification Exam. With RSTI’s

self-study CRES package you can learn anytime, anywhere, at your convenience and on your schedule.

Visit http://www.aami.org/certification/journal.html for Certificate Renewal details.

The modules contain both practice exams with answers and exams which can be returned to RSTI for grading. We are offering a 20% discount off of the list price of $398. The sale

Don’t miss the next edition of FocalSpot!

Click here to subscribe today.

30745 Solon Road Solon, Ohio 44139

www.rsti-training.com