<title>Interface Between Regulatory Agencies And Users Of X-Ray Equipment From The Point Of View Of The Radiologist</title>

Abstract

During the past decade there has been intense pressure to provide increasing regulations involving the practice of Medicine. As part of this process we have encountered increased regulations with implications that many more are being prepared with regards to the users of x-ray equipment. Some of the pressure for this type of interface in the regulation of x-ray equipment comes from consumer groups who have now become active participants in the planning process for health care. Other pressures come from federal, state, and local regulatory agencies who feel that this opportunity now permits them through the regulatory process to ultimately limit the costs of health care. Certainly this has been the thrust of local and regional planning agencies and the Certificate of Need legislation which has proliferated throughout our country. Although in most of these instances the concern is expressed that this will lead to improved quality of patient care it is my impression at this date that this increased use of a variety of regulatory agencies has not obtained this objective but instead has increased the bureacracy of health care planners and at the same time has increased the cost of health care equipment particularly in the area of diagnostic radiology.