SCAR embarks on PACS administrator certification initiative

The Society for Computer Applications in Radiology has taken the first steps toward establishing a PACS administrator certification program.

The PACS administrator initiative was first discussed at SCAR's Orlando meeting in June, where an organizational and information-gathering forum drew a standing-room-only crowd. Following the session, about 100 people volunteered to craft a certification program for PACS professionals, according to Anthony Seibert, Ph.D., chair of the new certification committee.

"The committee is looking at all of those imaging informatics issues that affect the entire medical enterprise," he said. "We're totally open. It's very similar to how SCAR handles its membership, which welcomes anyone with an interest in imaging informatics."

The committee includes radiologists and technologists and reflects the openness of SCAR's approach to its PACS certification initiative, Seibert said.

"In creating the PACS administrator certification committee, we had the same direction and the same guiding principal. We discussed how we will be developing the examination and how to keep it separate from the educational courses we offer at SCAR," he said. "There will be no bias in the examination toward our educational content. We want to keep both areas separate."

Inaugural members of the certification committee are:

• George Bowers, MBA

• Scott Griffin, RT

• Janice Honeyman-Buck, Ph.D.

• Dr. Steve Horii

• Richard Morin, Ph.D.

• Paul Nagy, Ph.D.

• Charles Socia, RT (R) (CT)

• Dr. Byrn Williamson, Jr.

SCAR has also announced plans to develop an ad hoc PACS administration advisory committee open to both society members and volunteers to develop educational content and provide input into the certification process.

Program design and development will be based on the National Organization for Competency Assurance and American National Standards Institute gold standards, according to the initiative's organizers.