A Study on Enacting the Radiologic Technologist Act for the Civil Right to Health in Korea

건강권과 방사선사법 제정에 관한 고찰

There are the Medical Radiation Health and Safety Act(the Patient Radiation Health and Safety Act, the Radiologic Technologist Act), the Medical Laboratory Technologist Act, the Physical Therapy Practice Act, and the Dental Hygienist Act, etc in America. However, Korea has only one Act for a medical radiologic technologist(including radiation therapy technologist, nuclear medicine technologist), medical laboratory technologist, physical therapist, occupational therapy examiner, dental hygienist, and so on. It is the Medical Technologist Act. Therefore, the Medical Radiation Health and Safety Act for a radiologic technologist(including radiation therapy technologist, nuclear medicine technologist) has to be enacted independently in Korea. It is the purpose of this Act to provide for the appropriate certification of persons using radioactive materials, equipment emitting ionizing radiation on humans or performing medical imaging for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. In Korea, the radiologic technologist is a "fusion technologist" who is a person other than a licensed practitioner as a radiographer, radiation therapist, nuclear medicine technologist, computed tomography technologist, magnetic resonance technologist, mammographer, sonographer, medical dosimetrist, quality management technologist, etc. This Act will have some provisions related to the definitions, reserved title, scope of practice, specialized technologist, application for licensure, radiologic technology council, renewal, continuing education, the radiation control advisory commission, etc. This Act will ensure that quality radiation therapy treatments are delivered and that quality diagnostic information is presented for interpretation, which will lead to accurate diagnosis, treatment and cure. Accurate diagnosis can be provided only when a personnel is properly educated in technique, equipment operation and radiation safety. In the end, this Act will protect the civil right to health. By regulating the personnel responsible for performing those procedures, this Act will mean improved care for patients-higher quality images, improved accuracy, and less exposure to radiation.

[ $\ulcorner$ ]의료기사 등에 관한 법률$\lrcorner$에는 다수 직종을 총괄하여 규정하고 있어 방사선사 업무의 전문성 향상과 방사선의료기술에 대한 국민의 건강권을 보장하기 어렵다. 따라서 방사선사에 관련된 법령을 개별적으로 제정하는것이 요청된다. 개별법으로서 방사선사법은 궁극적으로 국민의 건강증진을 목적으로 하는 방사선사의 책임규제에 관한 법으로 제정되어야 한다. 이를 위해 전문방사선사에 대한 규정을 신설하고 보수교육과 면허관리제도의 강화를 통하여 국민들이 보다 수준 높은 양질의 방사선의료기술을 제공받을 수 있도록 하여야 한다. 또한 방사선사의 역할과 업무를 명확히 규정하여 국민에게 제공되는 의료방사선서비스의 질적 수준을 확보하여야 한다. 정부기관에는 의료방사선정책심의위원회를 두어 의료방사선의 안전관리와 방사선사 인력의 수급, 기타 의료방사선정책에 관한 중요한 사항이 검토되고, 심의되어야 한다. 그밖에 방사선조사선량의 기록, 관리를 통하여 방사선피폭으로부터 국민의 건강보호를 위한 규정도 필요하며, 팀의료의 일원으로서 방사선사의 지위가 보장되어야 한다.