Nova Scotia's new ultrasound college to work with private imaging clinics

Nova Scotia's new college for ultrasound technologists is working to ensure non-medical ultrasounds are safe for mothers and babies. 

The efforts are being welcomed by the unregulated businesses that provide families with pictures and videos of their unborn babies. 

"I'm happy with the idea of any time you can be collaborative rather than adversarial. Everybody benefits, right?" said Julie Avery, executive director and registrar for the Nova Scotia College of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Professionals.

"I think this will be an example for the boards of other provinces to follow," said Tina Ureten, president of UC Baby, a private company with 28 ultrasound locations in Canada, including one in Halifax. 

Recreational, not medical

Nova Scotia's Medical Imaging Act was proclaimed Sept. 9. 

It requires ultrasound technologists, also called diagnostic medical sonographers, to be licensed by their board in order to practice in the medical system. 

However, the act does not apply to non-medical ultrasound businesses. Those ultrasounds are not done for medical reasons, but to let expectant parents see images of their unborn baby and hear the heart beat. 

"The fathers, grandparents, siblings, they get thrilled in our ultrasound rooms. They jump from their seats, they kiss us, they kiss their wives, so it's always very emotional. A very, very happy environment," said Ureten.

But now the college is working with the private sector to ensure the lines between celebration and medical care are not blurred. 

"Now that there's rules, you need to reach out to these people to make sure that they are aware, and to work with them, so that everybody's on the same page," Avery said. 

Serious possibilities 

Avery wants protocols in place in case a non-medical ultrasound reveals something of potential medical significance. 

For example, one of the private services offered is a sound recording of an unborn infant's heartbeat. 

"What if there is no heartbeat, how do you handle that situation?" Avery said. "How much information and how would they phrase that ...to ensure that they're not giving out information they shouldn't be?" 

Avery said both sides are working on a protocol for when a mother's doctor should be quickly informed of something an ultrasound shows. 

Avery said there will also be work on standard language to avoid confusion about what different types of ultrasounds do. 

Ureten said that's already standard protocol in her clinics. 

"We just tell them this is not a replacement of your medical ultrasound. And it's not our job to make measurements and to tell your baby's size, or check the organs," Ureten said. "These are offered by hospital ultrasounds and you should not skip those."