NBE Testamur Status Requirement Extended Until January 1, 2015 Medical Directors and All Medical Staff Applying Under the Practice Experience Pathway Will be Required to Also Document NBE Testamur Status

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The ICAEL Board of Directors recently modified the training and experience requirements for the practice experience pathway for both the Medical Director and Medical Staff. This specific pathway is designated for those physicians that did not complete a formal training program in echocardiography.

In addition to possessing both a minimum of three years of echocardiography practice experience and interpretation of a minimum number of echocardiogram/Doppler examinations (at least 1,800 for Medical Directors and 1,200 for Medical Staff), the physicians applying under this pathway will be required to document testamur status by the National Board of Echocardiography (NBE) by January 1, 2015. All interpreting physicians qualifying under this pathway will be required to comply with the new standard whether they are first-time applicants or applying for reaccreditation.

As stated on the NBE website (www.echoboards.org), the ASCeXAM is the examination of special competence in adult echocardiography. The ASCeXAM (originally called the ASEeXAM) is intended for those who wish to demonstrate special competence in all areas of echocardiography. The title of "Testamur" is designated for those who successfully pass the ASCeXAM. The examination is currently offered once a year. It is administered in a computer-based, multiple-choice examination format, allowing candidates to take the examination at a testing center convenient to their location.

Plannning Ahead

The ICAEL recommends that physicians intending to apply under the practice experience pathway within the ICAEL Standards begin planning now to be in compliance with this impending requirement. The examination is currently offered once a year and the application deadline is generally six months prior to the examination administration. (For example, for the October 18, 2010 examination, applications were due by April 5, 2010.) Candidates receive their results approximately 10 weeks after taking the examination and certificates for passing the exam are mailed approximately 12 weeks after the score reports are received. The NBE does not endorse any review courses for the examinations.

The ICAEL has instituted this strengthened requirement in keeping with its mission of “promoting high quality echocardiographic diagnostic evaluations in the delivery of health care by providing a peer review process of laboratory accreditation."

More Information

For further details on this new requirement, please reference the ICAEL Standards, Part I Echocardiography Laboratory Operations – Organization or contact the ICAEL staff at 800-838-2110 or e-mail via the staff directory.

The ICAEL is here to help. Laboratories with questions are encouraged to contact the ICAEL staff by e-mail or by phone at 800-838-2110.