§ 5-68.1-2. Definitions. As used in this chapter:

(1) "Authorized user" means a licensed practitioner who meets the training and experience requirements defined in rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to chapter 1.3 of title 23.

(2) "Board" means the board of radiologic technology.

(3) "Department" means the Rhode Island department of health.

(4) "Director" means the director of the Rhode Island department of health.

(5) "Financial interest" means being:

(i) A licensed practitioner of radiologic technology; or

(ii) A person who deals in goods and services that are uniquely related to the practice of radiologic technology; or

(iii) A person who has invested anything of value in a business that provides radiologic technology services.

(6) "License" means a license issued by the director to practice radiologic technology.

(7) "Licensed practitioner" means an individual licensed to practice medicine, chiropractic, or podiatry, or an individual licensed as a registered nurse practitioner or physician assistant in this state.

(8) "Medical physicist" means an individual, other than a licensed practitioner, who practices independently one or more of the subfields of medical physics, and is registered or licensed under rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to section 1.3 of title 23.

(9) "National organization" means a professional association or registry, approved by the director, that examines, registers, certifies, or approves individuals and education programs relating to operators of sources of radiation.

(10) "Nuclear medicine technologist" means an individual, other than a licensed practitioner, who compounds, calibrates, dispenses, and administers radiopharmaceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and radionuclides under the general supervision of an authorized user for benefit of performing a comprehensive scope of nuclear medicine procedures, and who has met and continues to meet the licensure standards of this chapter.

(11) "Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, firm, association, trust, estate, public or private institution, group, agency, political subdivision of this state or any other state, or political subdivision of any agency thereof and any legal successor, representative, agent, or agency of the foregoing.

(12) "Radiation therapist" means an individual, other than a licensed practitioner, who utilizes ionizing radiation under the general supervision of an authorized user for the planning and delivery of therapeutic procedures, and who has met and continues to meet the licensure standards of this chapter.

(13) "Radiologist" means a licensed practitioner specializing in radiology who is certified by or eligible for certification by the American Board of Radiology or the American Osteopathic Board of Radiology, the British Royal College of Radiology, or the Canadian College of Physicians and Surgeons.

(14) "Radiologist assistant" means an unlicensed individual, other than a licensed practitioner, who performs as an advanced-level radiologic technologist and works under the general supervision of a radiologist to enhance patient care by assisting the radiologist in the medical imaging environment, and who is certified by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, or by a comparable national certifying board as approved by the director.

(15) "Radiology technologist" also known as a "radiographer" means an individual, other than a licensed practitioner, who performs a comprehensive scope of diagnostic radiologic procedures under the general supervision of a licensed practitioner using external ionizing radiation, resulting in radiographic or digital images, and who has met and continues to meet the licensure standards of this chapter.

(16) "Source of radiation" means any substance or device emitting or capable of producing ionizing radiation for the purpose of performing therapeutic or diagnostic radiologic procedures on human beings.

(17) "Student" means an individual enrolled in a course of study for medicine or radiologic technology.

(18) "Supervision" means and includes:

(i) "Direct supervision" means supervision and control by a licensed practitioner who assumes legal liability for the services rendered by the radiologic technologist, which supervision requires the physical presence of the licensed practitioner for consultation and direction of the actions of the radiologic technologist.

(ii) "General supervision" means supervision whereby a licensed practitioner, who assumes legal liability for the services rendered, authorizes the services to be performed by the radiologic technologist, which supervision, except in cases of emergency, requires the easy availability or physical presence of the licensed practitioner for consultation and direction of the actions of the radiologic technologist.

History of Section. (P.L. 2010, ch. 137, § 2; P.L. 2010, ch. 139, § 2; P.L. 2015, ch. 141, art. 20, § 12.)