TEAM

Changing the Outcome Requires a Team at Cincinnati Children’s

“There is no “I” in TEAM.”

The first time I heard this phrase was as a high school student reading about Navy SEAL training. It was and still is a very powerful influence on my outlook as a radiologist at Cincinnati Children’s.

As radiologists, we are always part of a team. The imaging that we interpret and the procedures that we perform require a whole team of medical professionals, not just one department or one person. Our team at Cincinnati Children’s includes sonographers (ultrasound) and technologists(x-ray, CT, MRI, nuclear medicine, and interventional radiology). Together, they are the backbone of our Radiology Department.

They are responsible for so much more than “taking a picture.” Our technologists are the first people called into emergency settings to acquire imaging at the bedside or trauma bay. They perform technically difficult examinations at the bedside such as those used to diagnose appendicitis or to evaluate complex organ transplants while patients are still in the operating room.

Radiology technologists and sonographers perform a diverse array of exams, from the routine chest x-ray to complex MRI examinations, which require expert knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and medical physics.

Radiology technologists and sonographers are essential for patient safety. This includes ensuring the correct examination is performed on the correct patient while keeping them calm and still all the while utilizing the appropriate radiation-based techniques.

Many of our technologists are also invaluable in training the next generation; this is not limited to technologists in training but also includes radiology residents and fellows.

I can say with confidence that the outstanding imaging services and patient care provided by the Radiology Department at Cincinnati Children’s are a direct result of our team approach.

Dr. Mantosh Rattan author, Emily Harness, US-SpecTech, editor; Meredith Towbin, copyeditor