Mobile radiology practices under scrutiny by HPCSA

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These companies, struggling to obtain licenses from Radiation Control Directorate of the National Department of Health as they are not adequately qualified and trained to operate such machines, are making lucrative offers to practitioners in order to use their HPCSA numbers, thereby securing licenses from Radiation Control.

"With a mandate of protecting the public and guiding the professions the Council is concerned that practitioners and the public might be exposed to suspect operators," says Mable Kekana, chairperson of the Professional Board for Radiography and Clinical Technology said.

"Although the Board is not opposed to practitioners bringing healthcare services closer to communities through various mobile practices, the Board is concerned about the possible unethical and unprofessional relationship that might emanate between the healthcare practitioner and the company providing the service."

Practitioners are urged to be conversant with the type of private practice they want to engage in and to ensure that any type of practice adheres to the ethical rules and regulations of the Council.

Practitioners are furthermore advised to desist from giving or selling their HPCSA registration numbers or private practice numbers obtained from the Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF). Practitioners must be cognisant of the fact that they are liable for all professional acts performed or taking place in their presence or absence, when their personal registration numbers are used.

The Board is also calling on practitioners who are aware of any unethical practices regarding mobile radiology practices to report these to the HPCSA for further investigation.