Job Description Summary

The Advanced Practice Sonographer reports to the Maternal Fetal Medicine Division Head. Under limited supervision, manage the quality of images produced by Obstetrics/Gynecology sonographers across all MUSC Heath Charleston including Orangeburg and all MFM outside clinical service contracts. Services include but are not limited to information technology, quality control, infection control, telemedicine, and approval by appropriate credentialing bodies, such as NTQR and AIUM, of the diagnostic ultrasound sites. Responsible for teaching students (medical and sonography), sonographers, residents, and maternal fetal medicine fellow’s basic obstetrical sonography. To maintain relationships with ultrasound schools to enhance recruitment to our unit. To assist with the coordination of care of individuals with fetal anomalies among other pediatric services that need diagnostic images. Tracks outcomes for quality purposes and a credentialing agent. To improve physician efficiency and decrease the number of patients that must return in the MUSC Ob/Gyn Department’s diagnostic ultrasound unit by servicing as an intermediary between the sonographers and physician.

Entity

University Medical Associates (UMA) Only Employees and Financials

Worker Type

Employee

Worker Sub-Type​

Regular

Cost Center

CC000987 COM Obstetrics & Gynecology CC

Pay Rate Type

Salary

Pay Grade

Health-35

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Work Shift

Job Description

This position will work onsite at multiple locations within the Charleston and Orangeburg area.

Required Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years performing Maternal Fetal Medicine diagnostic ultrasounds and procedures

• At least one year of personnel supervision experience.

Required Education and Licensure/Certification:

• Graduation from a school of Diagnostic Medical Sonography.

• Certification by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS).

• Current American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support (BLS) certification or American Red Cross BLS for Healthcare Providers certification is required.

Job Duties:

25% Collaborates with Maternal- Fetal Medicine physicians to provide advanced clinical ultrasound practice and image quality.

• Perform and assist with complex obstetric ultrasound examinations, including high-risk and anomalous cases.

• Obtain difficult and advanced imaging views when needed, including scanning complex patients behind sonographers to enhance diagnostic accuracy.

• Review image quality to ensure studies meet clinical and billing standards prior to physician interpretation.

• Ensure ultrasound reports are completed by the performing sonographer before physician review.

• Maintain current knowledge of advanced ultrasound techniques and emerging procedures.

• Travel with MFM physicians as needed to learn and implement new procedures that enhance regional services.

• Acquire and maintain skills necessary to assist with specialized procedures, including twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome laser surgery support.

• Performs and supports advanced obstetric ultrasound services in collaboration with Maternal–Fetal Medicine (MFM) physicians to ensure high-quality imaging and accurate diagnostic evaluation.

20% Collaborates with Maternal- Fetal Medicine physicians to provide excellent patient care coordination and clinical liaison services

• Review medical records and verify exam appropriateness, pertinent history, and relevant laboratory values.

• Act as an effective intermediary between interpreting physicians and patients.

• Explain procedures and reinforce care plans per internal practice guidelines and physician direction.

• Under physician direction, instruct patients regarding plan of care and ensure appropriate follow-up is scheduled.

• Assist with triaging calls from referring or outside physicians.

• Coordinate care for patients requiring a multidisciplinary approach, including collaboration with genetic counselors for fetal anomalies.

• Facilitate continuity of care for complex maternal and fetal cases.

• Serves as a clinical liaison between MFM physicians, sonographers, patients, and multidisciplinary teams to promote seamless, patient-centered care.

15% Collaborate with Maternal- Fetal Medicine physicians to provide operational efficiency, documentation and billing optimization

• Operationalize ultrasound service processes to support MUSC billing and documentation requirements.

• Ensure studies meet criteria for accurate coding and reimbursement prior to physician review.

• Educate and support MFM physicians regarding appropriate documentation and billing codes.

• Improve physician efficiency by serving as an intermediary between sonographers and physicians when needed.

• Support workflow optimization within the MUSC Specialty Care North diagnostic ultrasound unit.

• Collaborate with MFM physicians to evaluate and establish potential outreach sites beyond the tri-county region.

• Enhances operational efficiency of the MFM ultrasound service while ensuring compliance with documentation and billing standards.

10% Assures that areas of responsibility adhere to relevant safety, regulatory, certification and/or accreditation standards.

• Knowledgeable about applicable standards and demonstrate consistent performance that adheres to those standards.

• Review and manage the quality of the images produced by sonographers at clinic sites. Hold sonographers accountable to university behavioral, safety, and regulatory guidelines. Assist with implementation of all necessary infection control protocols for the unit and tracking systems as needed. Demonstrates technical scanning ability by performing ultrasound exams in accordance with the guidelines and standards set by the AIUM and ACOG. Annually reviews the Protocols/Policies for Ultrasound and procedures within Ultrasound department in accordance with the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) and Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine (SMFM) standards and Guidelines for the Accreditation of Ultrasound Practices. Attend at least one conference a year to ensure the highest technical standards are met at clinic sites. Sit on any steering committee or national committee as requested. Speak at national conferences when asked. This will involve travel and overnight stays.

• Actively help to educate the net generation of perinatal sonographers for MUSC.

10% Ensures that all credentials and continuing education requirements are current for all technologists.

• Identify learning needs and the resources to attain them.

• Ensure self and all staff complete/maintain required training/certification for all clinic worksites.

• Ensure self and all staff complete/maintain required training/certification for both MUSCP and MUHA worksites.

• Assist physicians with training of new sonographers with standards of care.

• Works with fellows, residents and students by sharing knowledge of ultrasound as well as instruction for performance of ultrasound exams.

• Teach Maternal Fetal Medicine fellows scanning techniques. In conjunction with the Program Director, ensure the fellows meet the requirements of the MFM fellowship including RDMS certification if needed.

• Facilitate American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) certification and/or recertification. Ensures consistency, accuracy and calibration of ultra sonographers

5% Responsible for maintenance of equipment to meet all state and federal guidelines at all MUSC sites and advise the physicians of any perceived needs at remote sites.

• Assist the ultrasound manager for the operation of the equipment and function for problem resolution as needed.

• Oversee and help the IT team maintains the image reporting system and make recommendations for improvements as needed and work with the MD and sonographer to ensure images are retrievable.

• Demonstrate knowledge of the equipment and assure that appropriate maintenance to meet all state and federal guidelines are met or exceeded, which includes equipment we use inside the hospital.

• Notify the appropriate person if maintenance is inadequate.

• Perform quality assurance at each UMA location as required by AIUM.

• Evaluate ultrasound machines on the market and make recommendation for capital purchasing.

5% Managerial and administrative support duties

• Maintains collaborative relationship with Ultrasound Training Programs to facilitate hiring of qualified graduates.

• Collaborate with management and recruitment (with national reputation to attract) for sonographer interviews and assess their skill level.

• Assists clinic and ultrasound manager with annual evaluation of sonographers and completion of compliance requirements for all MUHA employees.

• Track appropriate salary distributions / transfers needed between appropriate MUHA and UMA Provide coaching and mentoring of the sonographer staff to facilitate positive customer relations by using Service Recovery and communication written avenues, staff meetings and huddles.

• Work with the Department and MUHA on ergonomics to reduce the injuries of sonographers.

• Informs the appropriate ultrasound manager and assist the manager with minimizing down time

5% Responsible for ultrasound related personnel training and coaching.

• Ensure that all sonographers are trained and able to assist with procedures performed in the units.

• Creates multimedia presentations, presents new research and literature reviews then implements new diagnostic techniques when appropriate.

• Work collaboratively and independently to facilitate continuing education by instructing sonographers, physicians and fellows during the antenatal ultrasound conference and fetal boards.

• Serve as a resource to improve patient care and unit operation. Assists in teaching patient care procedures to other staff, students and other team members as appropriate.

• Facilitates a positive learning environment for student(s) and provides individualized teaching instructions as appropriate. Facilitate education of Maternal Fetal Medicine fellows, ObGyn and radiology residents and medical students by providing instruction for performance of ultrasound exams and by sharing knowledge of ultrasound techniques, guidelines, and background information.

• Educate the residents and gyn oncology fellows in appropriately using ultrasound guidance and documentation at surgery.

5% Provide reporting and support to clinic managers and faculty monthly, yearly and as needed.

• Collaborate with faculty in research to meet study goals.

• Works with Clinical Operations Manager and staff on insurance denials.

• Work with information technology services to ensure the reporting systems interface with EPIC.

• Provide deidentified ultrasound images for fetal board once a month and for the American Board of Ob/Gyn as our physician need.

• Assist the ultrasound manager with scheduling needs and requests from referring offices as needed, ensure facility tickets are completed timely and accurately reflect provided services/procedures to meet financial goals.

• Improve MFM physician efficiency by ensuring the reports contain the correct referring physician information.

• Assist with scheduling needs for UMA patients as appropriate with collaboration between the UMA site manager or their designee.

• Facilitates the interaction between Medical University Hospital Authority (MUHA), the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN), and University Medical Associates (UMA) to benefit patient, faculty, staff, and administration satisfaction.

Additional Job Description

Physical Requirements

Continuous requirements are to perform job functions while standing, walking and sitting. Ability to bend at the waist, kneel, climb stairs, reach in all directions, fully use both hands and legs, possess good finger dexterity, perform repetitive motions with hands/wrists/elbows and shoulders, reach in all directions. Maintain 20/40 vision corrected, see and recognize objects close at hand and at a distance, work in a latex safe environment and work indoors. Frequently lift, lower, push and pull and/or carry objects weighing 50 lbs (+/-) unassisted, exert up to 50 lbs of force, lift from 36" to overhead 25 lbs. Infrequently work in dusty areas and confined/cramped spaces.

If you like working with energetic enthusiastic individuals, you will enjoy your career with us!

The Medical University of South Carolina is an Equal Opportunity Employer. MUSC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or belief, age, sex, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, protected veteran status, family or parental status, or any other status protected by state laws and/or federal regulations. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment based upon applicable qualifications, merit and business need.

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