RSTI FocalSpot > Winter 2014

Winter 2014 rsti-training.com News from the Leader in Radiological Service Training > RADIOLOGICAL service TRAINING INSTITUTE > ISSUE 2014.1

29 YEARS OF Maximum Value for Your Educational Growth and Development

NEW! 2014 COURSE INSERT INSIDE! President’s Letter..............2-3 Bring the Mobile Home........4 Go Nuclear in 2014................5 Course Schedule....... (pullout) Right to Repair....................6-8 Take Back Service............... 10

RSTI Recycles....................... 14

Is Service Access the Name of the Game in 2014?

Course Index........................ 15

// PAGE 2-3 //

Ingenuity Installed...... 12-13 Registration Guide.............. 14

Why You Should Never Give Up Your “Right to Repair” // PAGE 6-8 //

RSTI EXPANDS!

CLASSROOMS & courses to grow in 2014

State of OH Reg. No. 93-09-1377T ©2014 RSTI | Design by MossMedia

OEM ACCESS > 2014 OUTLOOK “Think about it” — from RSTI PRESIDENT, DALE COVER The right for radiation-emitting imaging equipment owners to service their own equipment is undeniable and set forth in regulations, but still there are some manufacturers that make effective and efficient healthcare technology management solutions as difficult as possible unless the owner maintains the OEMs costly annual service contracts.

Sooner or later most facilities have to face the financial consequences of maintaining a service agreement that now can cost more annually than the current value of the system. When they finally make the decision, earlier or later, to leave the OEM protection, the issues of service access comes to light.

Since I have no idea what senior management at these manufacturers actually think when it comes to second source service, the least I can do is explain how I see it:

1

Once x-ray equipment is no longer under an OEM service contract, the manufacturer loses a measure of control over the machine and the facility.

2

The OEM banks on the continued perception of quality as it relates to the repair and maintenance of that system.

3

If the system goes down, and cannot be repaired quickly as a result of access restrictions or documentation limitations, the facility is penalized, because it may take several additional days to

2 | focalspot.winter.2014

repair. This is not only going to reflect poorly on an in-house service group, but also on the equipment and by extension the OEM as well. If the system is unavailable for multiple days every time it has a service issue, it will not take long for it to gain a reputation for always being down.

4

Imaging centers eventually have to replace equipment. Even if they do not confer with engineering, how likely are they to buy another system from the same company that made “Room 4 which is always down”?

A few manufacturers are starting to provide a greater level of service access to the equipment owners. Whether this is happening by the force of regulation or the end users themselves, I am not certain. What I can tell you is that it is not happening by sudden OEM generosity. I can also tell you that it takes a week for RSTI to get any new software installed that grants limited access. Then you need to

waste another week getting permission to use it with a license to use the new access. If this had happened at a medical facility, waiting a couple days would have been unacceptable. Imagine how nearly two weeks of wait time to complete repairs would make them feel.

It is a no brainer that the equipment owner should have full access to service their own equipment, then why, by extension, wouldn’t anyone acting as their agent also be granted equivalent access? OEMs don’t expect technologists to maintain the equipment, so either an employee or third party would need to perform these services.

Every owner of diagnostic imaging equipment should have the right to repair without repercussion from the OEM in any way.

To me it’s like buying a car and after its warranty is up. The only person other than the manufacturer that has access to service your car is you. Thus far the primary OEM argument remains unchanged. “Minimal end user access needs to be available, but only as is necessary to maintain patient safety, because the systems generate X-Rays.”

Recent retorts by the OEMs are that they are the only ones that are capable of repairing and maintaining the safety of the systems.

After more than 29 years of teaching engineers to maintain the safety of all forms of radiation generating equipment I can tell you this is patently untrue.

Dale Cover

Dale Cover, President

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12/6/12 10:38 PM WWW.RSTI-TRAINING.COM | CALL 440.349.4700 | 3

Bringing the Mobile Home

By Matt Modello RSTI Instructor

I

n the Medical Imaging Industry with constantly changing healthcare laws and government regulations that directly control the profit margins of the healthcare facility, there is a continual quest by the Chief Financial Officers to keep up with the changes and ultimately save money and create new revenue.

In the portable x-ray side of this industry, there are countless reasons to “bring the mobile home” or in-house.

And it’s no secret that saving money on pricey service contracts is on the top of the list. In addition to the cost savings, the simplicity of most of the portable x-ray systems should push them even higher up in priority to take off contract and let the in-house service department handle the up keep.

The biggest obstacle to this liberation from binding contracts however, is obtaining the appropriate documentation for the service professional to perform the required maintenance and inspection procedures.

This has been a problem for many years and considering the federal government made it mandatory that OEMs supply the documentation for every unit, this should no longer be an issue yet it remains a thorn in the side of progress for our multivendor field service professionals.

Per the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) code of federal regulation, title 21 also known as 21 CFR section 1020.30, sub sections; “definitions” and “(G) & (H)”, “Information to be provided to assemblers.

Manufacturers of components listed in paragraph (a) (1) of this section shall provide to assemblers subject to paragraph (d) of this section and, upon request, to others at a cost not to exceed the cost of publication and distribution, instructions for assembly, installation, adjustment, and testing of such components adequate to assure that the products will comply with applicable provisions of this section and 1020.31, 1020.32, and 1020.33, when assembled, installed, adjusted, and tested as directed.” An assembler as defined by the same regulation is “any person engaged in the 4 | focalspot.winter.2014

business of assembling, replacing, or installing one or more components into a diagnostic x-ray system or subsystem. The term includes the owner of an x-ray system or his or her employee or agent who assembles components into an x-ray system that is subsequently used to provide professional or commercial services.”

As mentioned before, the lack of cooperation from most of the vendors remains a problem to the field service professional. There are sources to obtain documents but most contain partial information or outdated information that is not sufficient to perform safe and accurate maintenance. Let’s not forget that these big corporations and manufacturers of medical imaging equipment work for the buyer, not the other way around. If they are not willing to abide by federal regulations, then they should not be part of the industry. A new standard must be set across the Medical Imaging Industry demanding that ALL OEMs follow the federal regulations and provide the required documentation for their systems. This will not only save money to the facilities but it will in turn pass on savings to the patients by enabling the in-house staff to repair equipment at a lower cost.

Portable X-ray systems are just one small piece of a bigger picture.

Sadly, the lack of technical documentation has been hindering maintenance on all modalities in the industry and needs to be addressed again on a much larger scale. For now though, to save time and money at any level possible is the name of the game and bringing the mobiles home will be a big step in the right direction.

Go Nuclear in 2014!

Do you have the most efficient

RSTI will be adding another modality to our diverse course offerings in 2014. Look for our “Principles of Servicing Nuclear Medicine Systems” course around 2nd quarter of 2014.

This 1 week, hands-on course is designed for service professionals new to the Nuclear Medicine modality. It is designed to teach all of the skills necessary to service to the subsystem level. Heavy emphasis is placed on basic Nuclear Medicine principles, image analysis, operation, safe laboratory practices, system troubleshooting, and preventive maintenance. The lectures, handson lab procedures, and documentation are designed to provide the student with the knowledge needed to service Nuclear Medicine systems. A background in imaging is recommended to attend this course, although not required.

X-ray QA solution?

Piranha. The Complete X-ray QA Solution kV, time, dose, dose rate, HVL, TF, mA, mAs for R/F, Dent, Mam, and CT.

At the conclusion of this course, participants will be able to: • • • • •

Demonstrate their understanding of Nuclear Medicine principles.

Verify system operation.

Verify system specifications.

Troubleshoot system problems.

Perform first and second level preventive maintenance procedures.

Used by hospitals and manufacturers

in over 60 countries

The course will include, but is not limited to the following concepts: •

Introduction to the Nuclear Medicine modality

•

Radiation safety

•

Basic system operation

•

Nuclear Medicine physics

•

Radiation measurement

•

Quality Assurance (QA)

• Collimators • PMTs •

Power supplies

•

Signal processing

•

Common system problems

Cobia Smart. A Simple and Smart Solution for Measuring Reliability kV, time, dose, dose rate, pulses, HVL for R/F

From Radiation to Information RTI US Office

33 Jacksonville Road, Bldg. 1 info@rtielectronics.com

Phone: + 1-800-222-7537

RTI Inc

Towaco, NJ 07082, USA

www.rtielectronics.com

Phone: +1-973-439-0242

WWW.RSTI-TRAINING.COM | CALL 440.349.4700 | 5

“RIGHT TO REPAIR”

“Tough Talk” from jim monro, RSTI CHAIRMAN

“Over these years we have been adding curriculum to our course schedule to not only keep up with digital demand, but also when we can identify a breakthrough in the necessity of service keys and passwords. ”

F

or many years now original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have been busy, not only with new products every year, but also with devising ways to make it impossible for a buyer to maintain, repair or PM their own equipment. You can select it, build out space for it, finance it and ultimately have clear title to it, but you cannot fix it when it goes down. Beyond the initial warranty period, OEMs want to strap to your back a multi-year service agreement that provides an enormous payback to every one of them.

This newsletter is geared to shedding light on how to cash in on overpriced, unnecessary service contract.

66 || focalspot.Winter.2014 focalspot.winter.2014

Never give up your “right to repair,” on equipment that you own. Service training and hospital costs, regarding the maintenance of diagnostic imaging equipment, have always been directly linked.

Every year or so, someone gets fed up and decides to write about the noose placed around the buyer’s neck each time they purchase a CT, MRI, RAD Room, R/F Room, Mammography system, etc. RSTI has also written about it occasionally over the last ten years, but never has there been a more critical point in time for a breakthrough of major proportion.

You do not need a crystal ball to know that medical costs will continue to rocket up while government reimbursements will continue to slide. In the middle of this titanic tug of war is the healthcare provider. If we cannot come up with a plan to resolve this, the quality and timeliness of healthcare will suffer.

In 2011, 40% of hospitals in America were no longer breaking even in their operations.

The same article predicted 60% in 2015 or sooner.

This trend line is alarming enough, but left unchecked the result in the near future is that the government will have to take it over and bail it out. Imagine healthcare owned and operated by our bureaucratic, dysfunctional

government. I don’t know of a solution to the big picture, but in RSTI’s neck of the woods, genuine, tangible, hard money savings is available through education, so please read every article this month, as we detail what imaging training can do with your assistance.

For 29 years, RSTI has been a pioneer in providing repair and maintenance capabilities to owners of diagnostic imaging equipment.

Over these years we have been adding curriculum to our course schedule to not only keep up with digital demand, but also when we can identify a breakthrough in the necessity of service keys and passwords. Most manufactures provide various levels of service access on the equipment they produce and sell. Everyone gets the first level of access, but no one except their own staff gets the higher levels. Under the guise of protecting their standards of repair and safety of the consumer, OEMs have sequestered equipment owners and after-market service companies whenever they can get away with it.

[Continued on Next Page >>]

Here is where education counts for BIG money.

RSTI can cut that $100,000 in half with technical training for every piece of equipment on our class schedule.

WWW.RSTI-TRAINING.COM | CALL 440.349.4700 | 7

[Continued from Previous Page]Here’s the reason why. “Warranty Week” produced

October 2013

24x7mag.com

t : n g tie 30 in Pa n p rk ’s ai o IHE om t w de D e si ce N k In evi o D Lo re A Ca

Here’s the reason why. “Warranty Week” produced a nine year study through 2012 proving that warranties/ service contracts from manufacturers of that equipment spend less 1% of the products revenue on average for a standard 1-yr warranty. It peaked in 2005 at 1.2% and bottomed out in 2012 at 0.7%. This information is available on the HTMA of Ohio Information Blog.

Every report on new imaging equipment says that the average cost of a multi-year contract is 10% of the purchase price each year. The math here is easy showing why they insist on service contracts for your own good. You would too, if you could get 10 times on it. The math gets more difficult if you extrapolate out over 5 years, but the end result is that your signature on a one of these contracts virtually locks in future profits with little risk. Simpler math says that if you buy a room for $1,000,000 and sign a 1-year contract, it will cost you $100,000 or $9,333 per month. Using the high side of the cost scale, it will cost the same manufacture $10,000, leaving a $90,000 profit.

Read David Harrington’s, “Soapbox” article “On the Right to Repair and the Value of Communication” online at http://24x7.alliedmedia360.com/

A Sea Change for RTLS New real-time location systems go far beyond asset tracking 5 Tips for Cost Control How to increase efficiency and improve equipment management p16

Here is where education counts for BIG money. RSTI can cut that $100,000 in half with technical training for every piece of equipment on our class schedule. OK, so you need electronics knowledge to get in…It’s a minor prerequisite to begin building your staff’s capability to save you money given all the pressures coming from Washington DC and state regulatory agencies.

In the October Issue of 24x7 magazine, David Harrington, Ph.D, titles his article, “On the Right to Repair and the Value of Communication.” He does an excellent job tying repair and communication together in his article, but stops short of placing blame at the feet of manufacturers. Patrick Lynch goes much further in a series of articles placing the blame squarely and unequivocally where it belongs.

I will end with a rather lengthy quotation from Patrick Lynch that outlines some of what we are up against. Read his entire article in TechNation to have your eyes completely opened: “They restrict access to schematics, diagnostics, training, repair procedures, parts or other necessary components of a maintenance program. They administer these restrictions by several methods.

The may artificially price training or needed service materials so high that a service contract actually looks like a bargain. The may lock up the equipment that they 8 | focalspot.winter.2014

Meet META Focus On: The Medical Equipment & Technology Association p32

sell by electronic passwords that they will not share with the owner of the equipment. They may even place physical switches on the inside the machinery that stops it from working if covers are removed, requiring a paid service call to reset the machine. They may refuse to sell parts to anyone who is not trained, but charge outrageous prices for the training.”

If you made it to this point, I salute your endurance.

We are all busy, but it’s time we say that enough is enough already.

Give us the “keys” to inspect, repair, maintain, calibrate and PM our own equipment!

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Wisdom like: knowing we’re in this together. It saves to update your used devices. And Classic can earn you thousands by closing your downtime window. In fact, we supply free technical support on most OEM products and free parts I.D.. Whether it is a part from stock, a refurbished component, Biomedical device support, or a complete system refurb – it all adds up to wealth for you.

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WWW.RSTI-TRAINING.COM | CALL 440.349.4700 | 9

RSTI 2014 Course Schedule December 31, 2013

TRAINING COURSE TITLE

FEBRUARY 3

10

17

3

17

31

7

14

MAY

21

28

5

12

19

May 12 - 23 Apr 22 May 2

Mar 24Apr 4 Mar 3 - 14

PACS Engineer/Administrator Certification (Phase I) PACS Engineer/Administrator Certification (Phase II)

Feb 3 - 14

26

2

MEMORIAL DAY

Apr 7 - 18

Advanced Fluoroscopic System Maintenance (Phase III)

NETWORKING & DIGITAL INFORMATION

APRIL 24

Mar 10 - 21

Advanced Radiographic System Maintenance (Phase II)

Advanced Diagnostic Imaging System Analysis (Phase IV)

9

June 2 - 13

Feb 17 - 28

Introduction to Networking & DICOM Feb 10 - 14

PACS Troubleshooting Techniques

MANAGEMENT

10

Feb 24 Mar 7

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

X-RAY CERTIFICATE SERIES

MARCH 24

C.A.M. (Capital Asset Management) 2.5 Day: Intro to Diagnostic Imaging & PACS - For Managers & Sales Professionals GE Advantx 1, Advantx E, Legacy, Compax 40

Mar 3-5

June 9-11

GE Definium Family: Definium 6000/8000, Discovery XR650/XR656, Optima XR640

Mar 17-21

May 19 - 23 Apr 14 - 18

GE Precision 500D R/F

PRODUCT SPECIFIC

GE Revolution Family (XR/d 1X & 2X) GE Proteus (JEDI Generator)

Mar 31-Apr 11 Apr 7 - 11

Feb 3-7

Philips Bucky Diagnost Feb 10 - 14

Private Practice X-Ray Systems

Mar31 Apr4

GE AMX Portable (IV, IV+)

PORTABLES

May 5 9

Mar 10-14

Shimadzu MobileArt Portable

June 9-13 May 12 16

Siemens Mobilett Portable

C-ARM

Multi-Product C-Arm OEC 9600/9800

Call For Details

Multi-Product C-Arm OEC 9800/9900

Feb 3 - 14

Apr 28-May 9 Feb 17 - 21

C-Arm OEC 9900

Mar31 Apr4

June 2-6

Siemens Siremobile C-Arm Philips BV Pulsera C-Arm

Feb 3-7

Feb 10-14

Mar 24-28

Mar31 Apr4

Siemens AXIOM Artis Family (FP)

CARDIAC

June 2-13 Mar 3 - 14

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

June 2-13

Call For Details

Analog Multi-Vendor Mammography (GE, Lorad, Siemens) Lorad Multicare Platinum Breast Biopsy System GE Digital Mammography Family (2000D/ DS/ ESSENTIAL) Digital Mammography (Hologic Selenia)

WOMEN'S HEALTH

Lorad MIV Platinum and ACR Multi-Vendor Bone Densitometry

ULTRASOUND

CT

Mar 24- 28 May 5 - 16 Feb 17 - 28 Call For Details Mar 3-7

June 2-6

Multi-Vendor Ultrasound Principles of Servicing Computed Tomography Systems (Phase I) Advanced Computed Tomography System Maintenance (Phase II)

Apr 7 - 18 Apr 22 May 2

GE Brightspeed & LightSpeed CT

May 5 - 16 May 19 - 23

GE VCT

NUCLEAR MEDICINE

Apr28 May 2

Principles of Servicing Nuclear Medicine Systems Notes

EXHIBITS & PRESENTATIONS NOTE: M-IV Platinum & 500D are 5 full days. Bucky Diagnost is 4 full days. Return flights after 6 pm. ULTRASOUND classes will change.

* Class starts Tues. 22 Apr(Easter) MD Expo 4/9-4/11

AAMI 5/31-6/2

Register Online or Call 1.800.229.7784 JUNE

JULY 7

14

AUGUST

21

28

4

11

18

SEPTEMBER 25

Aug 18 - 29 July 21 Aug 1 Aug 4 - 15

8

15

OCTOBER

22

29

6

13

Sept 8 - 19

20

NOVEMBER 27

3

10

17

Oct 20 - 31 Sept 22 Oct 3

DECEMBER 24

THANKSGIVING

Aug 4 - 15 July 7 - 18

1

LABOR DAY

INDEPENDENCE DAY

June 16 - 27

30

Nov 3 - 14

Sept 8 - 19

Oct 20 - 31

1

8

15

Dec 1 - 12

Dec 1 - 12 Dec 8 - 19

22

29

NEW YEARS

23

CHRISTMAS

16

Nov 3 - 14 July28Aug1

Dec 1-5 Aug 4-8

Nov 17 - 21

June 16-20

Sep29 Oct3 Oct 6-8 Aug 18 - 29 Sept 8 - 12

Dec 15 - 19 Oct 20 - 24 Oct 20 - 31

July 7 - 11 July 7 - 11

Sept 22 - 26

Nov 10 - 14

June 23 - 27

Dec 8 - 12 July 21 - 25

Sept 29 - Oct 3

Dec 1-5 Nov 3-7 Oct 13 - 17

Aug 18 - 29

Nov 10 - 21

July 21 - 25

Oct 6 - 10

Dec 15 - 19 Dec 15 - 19

July 14 - 18

Oct 27 Nov 7 Oct 6 - 17

Aug 4 - 15 July28 Aug 1 Aug 18 - 29

Dec 1 - 12

June 16 - 27

Oct 6 - 17

Sept 15 - 19

Nov 17 - 21

June 16 - 27 Oct 13 - 24 Oct 27 Nov 7 Nov 10 - 21 Dec 8 - 12 Sep 22 -26

FIME 8/6 - 8/8

RSNA 11/30-12/5

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

Take Back Service With the Hologic Selenia

By Mike Petelin RSTI Instructor

Thinking about dropping service contracts and brining imaging service in-house can seem like a monumental task. It does not have to be.

Many biomedical and imaging service professionals look at the whole imaging department. The way to start is to take on a one or two systems and build from there.

There is no rule book that says you have to drop ALL of the contracts at once.

Take for example the Hologic Selenia, a service contract can range from 30 to 50 thousand dollars a year, depending on if you would like a new or refurbished detector in the event of a failure. You may already know that a new detector can cost approximately $80,000 refurbished or $100,000 new (both with 1-year prorated warranties). With an expected life of current Selenia detectors to be five years, your facility is paying a large sum for insurance on the detector.

Factoring an annual PM (Preventative/Periodic Maintenance) at approximately $1200, and an occasional defect mapping of the detector at approximately $1000 a year, we are looking at a cost to the facility from the manufacturer at (the low amount) $150,000 for 5 year coverage. Where the manufacturer’s outlay is $91,000 and that is only if they have to replace a detector in that five year span. That is a $59,000 discrepancy, on only one unit.

There will be an initial outlay for the training and the test equipment needed to perform work that meets or exceeds what the factory would supply, but these costs can be recouped in short order. Not to mention the savings grow quickly if you have more than one unit under your control.

With training that you will receive at RSTI you will gain the skills that are required to perform functions that even the manufacturer’s field service engineer (FSE) is not trained to do; such as defective pixel mapping.

An FSE would have to download a few files from the Selenia and then send them off to their technical support center where the pixel mapping takes place.

Often an In-House Service Professional can accomplish this task in little more than an hour, with only a laptop and the Selenia system itself.

There are many systems in a facility that large savings can be achieved if taken off of service contracts with the manufacturer. Why not make a Selenia one of the first.

Don’t forget to explore our new 2014 Course Schedule Insert, conveniently redesigned and reformatted as a pullout insert in this newsletter!

12 | focalspot.winter.2014

www.rsti-training.com | CALL 440.349.4700 | 12

Deliver the best — with the industry’s best X-ray QA • Easy • Fast • Accurate

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RaySafe Solo

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Unfors RaySafe, leader in X-Ray Quality Assurance, is used by more biomeds, X-Ray manufacturers and physicists than any other solution.

Simple, single exposure measures kVp, time, dose, dose rate, HVL, pulse, pulse rate, mA, mAs. R/F, Mam, Dental, CT 508-435-5600 www.raysafe.com

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It’s something you’ll only find here with ARAMARK Healthcare Technologies. The opportunity to work side-by-side with a team of outstanding biomedical technicians, imaging service engineers and professionals—fixing, not just clinical equipment, but the workflow challenges our customers face every day. So they can better care for patients, and healthcare can work better for everyone.

We’re seeking talented, experienced professionals: • Biomedical Technicians (all levels) • Imaging Service Engineers (all levels) • Senior Technology Managers • Technology Managers Visit aramarkhealthcaretechnologies.com/join-us to apply online. (EOE)

WWW.RSTI-TRAINING.COM | CALL 440.349.4700 | 13

Ingenuity Installed

RSTI

Featured Installation: Jamaica

By Darrell Kile Sales, RSTI Exchange

Some of you may not realize it but, RSTI and RSTI Exchange have done some installation work.

In fact we did an installation in Kingston, Jamaica this year. We installed a GE Proteus radiographic room at Andrews Memorial Hospital. It was a challenge but we were able to install the unit.

Probably the hardest part of the install was mounting the ceiling crane. Because we were in Jamaica, it was not as easy as heading to the nearest rental place to get a Genie lift. We had to lift the crane manually.

This consisted of the three of us from RSTI (Todd, Terry and Darrel) and a handful of employees from the hospital. We had to physically lift the crane up and put some old empty oil drums under it until we got it high enough to attach it to the rails on the ceiling.

Pretty crazy what man power can accomplish.

Visit Us Online!

RSTI-Exchange.com

Over all it was very interesting the amount of ingenuity and free thinking that went on between all the parties involved. Each task that needed to be completed to get the install done was a bit of a puzzle.

In the end we were able to brainstorm together with the guys at the facility to get it done. Check out the pictures!

This is just one story from one of the many installs RSTI has completed over the last few years.

We have installed Digital mammography units, Radiographic rooms both Digital and Analog , Stereotactic tables, and a few CT units.

Between the labs and test bays at our facility and installs around the world RSTI and RSTI Exchange have become masters at installing imaging suites!

14 | focalspot.Winter.2014 focalspot.winter.2014

The All-New RSTI-Exchange.com lists our full catalog of pre-owned medical equipment!

Collaborative team hoists the GE Proteus unit to attach to ceiling...

With no power lift available, the team got creative with some steel drums...

WWW.RSTI-TRAINING.COM | CALL 440.349.4700 | 15

RSTI Registration Guide

A

s many of you may have already heard, RSTI has acquired Ditec’s assets to include all student records. My primary goal is to keep Ditec’s student records intact and maintain them here at RSTI to preserve the information and have it available as needed. If you have taken a class at Ditec, rest assured that we will have a record of your training here at RSTI. Further, Ditec’s classes will be accepted to meet prerequisites for more advanced training here at RSTI. For example, the OEC classes require completion of RSTI’s Phase III “Advanced Fluoroscopic Systems Maintenance” or equivalent training or experience. In this case, Ditec’s Level III “Advanced Concepts of Fluoroscopic Imaging Maintenance” will be considered an equivalent to our Phase III. This will most likely hold true for all “phase” classes. Likewise, you can continue with your phase training here at RSTI without having to re-take or test out of any phase classes you may have taken at Ditec. At the completion of Phase IV “Advanced Diagnostic Imaging Systems Analysis,” you will receive recognition as a “Certified Diagnostic Imaging Instrumentation Specialist” from RSTI. Registering for a class here at RSTI is easy. You can phone, fax or email your registration. It’s just a matter of completing your information (name, institution, address, phone and email) and selecting what class or classes you want. Generally, it’s a good idea to sign up for a class even though it may not be approved yet. This will prompt us to enter a tentative registration, or “pencil you in,” and then be able to contact you if there are any changes or if a class starts filling up. When approval is obtained, you can confirm your registration by calling, faxing, or emailing a guaranteed method of payment for the class. RSTI accepts purchase order numbers (PO), checks which can be mailed in advance or brought to class, and credit cards. We advise holding off on making any travel arrangements until after the confirmation process is complete.

In general, detailed confirmation letters are emailed directly to each student about 2 weeks before class begins but students are welcome to call or email at any time to verify the status of their registration. We strive to make registering for a class at RSTI as easy as possible and are ready to welcome Ditec students into the RSTI family. Communication is essential to making the transfer smooth, so please do not hesitate to call 800-229-7784 or email registration@rsti-training.com with any questions, comments or concerns you may have.

16 | focalspot.winter.2014

By Anna Morrison

We will do everything possible to make you comfortable with the transition and impress you with our superior learning environment.

RSTI

RSTI Recycles One of the main objectives of RSTI Exchange is to give healthcare providers another option with the equipment they are retiring. As we all know, many of these units are bought and sold in the “used market”. Many of these units should not go back out into the world as they are out of date and many times in disrepair.

Units such as these are what RSTI Exchange earmarks for our recycling program. We bring these units into one of our warehouses to be stripped down and disposed of. We don’t simply throw them away. We strip them down to each material and take them to the proper facility to be reprocessed and reused. If you think about all the materials used in one mammography unit, or one radiographic room, there are so many different metals and plastics involved.

We separate these materials and send them to select waste management companies to be broken down and repurposed.

Please let us know if you have any equipment you are looking to retire. While there may be a charge for us to remove these items, RSTI Exchange would be more than happy to take care of them for you. We have a professional de-install team that can be dispatched to remove the units and take them off your hands.

Contact Us, Today!

Call 440-349-4700 or Email Darrel Kile at Dkile@rsti-training.com or Terry Speth at tspeth@rsti-training.com for details.

2014 Course Index & Registration X-RAY CERTIFICATE SERIES

WOMEN’S HEALTH

Phase I…………….……………………………………………...............….….$4695 (for 2 weeks) Phase II…………………………........……………….……………………….….$4795 (for 2 weeks) Phase III…………..……………………………….…………….……..………….$4895 (for 2 weeks) Phase IV…………..……………………………………………….….……….….$4995 (for 2 weeks)

PACS Administrator/Engineer Certification Phase I…………….…………………………………...........................….….$2995 (for 2 weeks) Phase II……………………………………….………………….……………..….$3995 (for 2 weeks)

RAD & R/F PRODUCT SPECIFIC GE Precision 500D………….……………………………………...……..….$7995 (for 1 weeks) GE Revolution Family: XR/d 1X & 2X (DR) …………….….…..….$7995 (for 2 weeks) GE Advantx Family..……….…………………………….……………....….$2995 (for 2 weeks) (Advantx 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)

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)

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

Multi-Vendor Mammography Systems (Analog)...................$2995 (for 2 weeks) Multicare Platinum.......................................................................$2995 (for 1 week) Hologic Selenia (DR) ...............................................................$12995 (for 2 weeks) GE Digital Mammography Family (DR) ...............................$12 995 (for 2 weeks) (2000D, DS, Essential) Multi-Vendor Bone Densitometry..............................................$3995 (for 1 week) Lorad MIV Platinum…………………………………………………………….$1995 (for 1 week)

Mobile C-Arms OEC 9600/9800..........................................................................$6995 (for 2 weeks) OEC 9800/9900..........................................................................$7995 (for 2 weeks) OEC 9900.......................................................................................$5995 (for 1 week) Siemens Siremobile C-Arm ........................................................$3995 (for 1 week) Philips BV Pulsera C-Arm ............................................................$3995 (for 1 week)

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

Management Capital Asset Management.........................................................$1995 (for 1 week) Introduction to Networking & DICOM.........................................$1995 (for 3 days) Intro to Diagnostic Imaging for Managers & Sales Staff…….$1250 (for 2.5 days)

CT (Computed Tomography) Phase I..........................................................................................$4995 (for 2 weeks) Phase II.........................................................................................$5995 (for 2 weeks) GE LightSpeed/BrightSpeed......................................................$7995 (for 2 weeks) GE VCT............................................................................................$5295 (for 1 week)

Effective 01.01.14

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. Allow 30 days for receipt of the refund. Registrants who cancel within 14 days of the course or seminar date will have the tuition transferred to another course or seminar on a space available basis. In the event that a course does not attain our minimum enrollment, RSTI may postpone it. Paid tuition will remain on account to be applied to the rescheduled 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 prior to the course start date. We also accept VISA, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover as a method of payment. All past due invoices will be assessed a late fee of 1.5% per month on any unpaid balances.

Schedule - Typically, courses run from 8:30 am-4:30 pm Monday through Friday. You will receive a 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 flight any time in the mid- 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. 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.

HOW TO REGISTER: Phone 440.349.4700 • Fax 440.349.2053 • 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

1. ____________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________ 2._________________________________________________________________ _______________________________ ________ Full Coverage Package (Yes or No) ___________________________________________________________________ 2. ____________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________

____

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: $ __________________________

____

Bill my credit card: ___ MasterCard ___ VISA _____AMEX

_____Discover

___ AMEX ___ Discover Number: __________________________ Exp Date __________ Number: _________________________ Si t ( i d)

Exp. Date: __________

Signature (required):___________________________________

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

City

State Zip

Email

WWW.RSTI-TRAINING.COM | CALL 440.349.4700 | 17

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 price is $318.40.

Call (800) 229-7784 for info or visit www.aami.org/certification/exam.html for detailed exam info.

Address Service Requested

www.rsti-training.com 30745 Solon Road Solon, Ohio 44139

Presorted Standard Mail U.S. Postage Paid WILLOUGHBY, OH Permit #111