Fast Break: Radioactive Material

Healthcare providers are rightly focused on compliance with CMS and state licensing regulations, but fewer give necessary attention to other regulatory agencies that might affect them. For example, providers that practice nuclear medicine—either in diagnosis or treatment—have an entirely separate set of regulations to consider. Specifically, the use, storage, transport, and transfer of radioactive material (RAM) by those providers is regulated by both the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and state regulators. These rules are often misunderstood and can lead to costly investigations—internal and external—and enforcement. In our next Fast Break, we’ll discuss the regulation of medical radioisotopes by the NRC and states and its impact on healthcare providers. 

Topics will include:

• The “Agreement State” framework
• The use of general and specific licenses in nuclear medicine
• The role of the radiation safety officer in a functioning radiation safety program
• License applications, amendments, transfers, and termination
• Recent NRC and state inspections and enforcement actions