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Ask the expert: Can a Canadian dentist order a CT scan on a patient in our Washington state hospital?

Credentialing Resource Center Connection, March 6, 2008

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Q: We have a dentist from Canada that wants to order a CT scan on a patient. He is not credentialed with our facility, located in Republic, WA. Do we need to have a MD order the CT scan, or can this dentist order it?

A: First, you should check your hospital's bylaws to see if there is already a policy in place that can provide guidance in this situation. If there is no policy in place, the next step would be to check your state's radiological requirements.

Washington's radiation rules and regulations specifically state: "We.require all CT scanning facilities to have a licensed practitioner on site to comply with this rule, i.e., to interact with each customer/patient, and to "prescribe" the CT exam. The facility must have a physician, a radiologist, an ARNP (advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner), a PA (Physician's Assistant), or any other licensed practitioner of the healing arts whose scope of practice allows them to prescribe x-ray exams." Because the dentist is in Canada, these regulations preclude him or her from ordering this at a facility located in Washington state.

You should inform the dentist that he or she needs to make contact with a medical staff member to order the test on his or her behalf. You can help to move this process along by providing the dentist with the contact information of members of the radiology department who would be willing to order the test.

This week's reader-submitted question was sent in by Sharon Iverson, credentialing director at Ferry County Public Hospital District #1, Republic WA. Sheri Patterson, CPCS, medical staff interim staffing professional for the Greeley Company, a division of HCPro, Inc., answered it.

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