The Value of ACI Imaging Equipment Certification: A Decision Makers Guide
As health care becomes more complex, certification is one way to demonstrate and showcase core competencies in specific areas, like biomedical imaging, for both healthcare professionals and organizations.
Wed Sep 15 2021
In biomedical imaging circles, you'll frequently hear about the need for AAMI Credentials Institute (ACI) biomedical imaging equipment certification. Unfortunately, the benefits of ACI certification aren't always readily apparent to high-level decision makers. Proper training is often perceived as a cost, rather than an investment.
If you're familiar with the process at all, you know that becoming certified requires an investment in both time and money for the training needed to pass the ACI certification exam. Finding the opportunity and funding necessary for proper training can make acquiring certification seem a bit daunting. Nonetheless, it's vital to your success, and the success of your organization - not to mention the health and safety of the patients and technicians you've been entrusted to protect - that all imaging technicians and engineers be properly certified.
Why is ACI Certification for Imaging Equipment Maintenance Staff So Important?
As healthcare becomes more complex, certification is one way to demonstrate and showcase core competencies in specific areas, like biomedical imaging, for both healthcare professionals and organizations. 
For healthcare technology professionals, achieving certification is a powerful way of demonstrating their accomplishments, mastery of skills, and experience while highlighting their ability to provide quality and trustworthy service. This added credibility can often service as the next step to career advancement by demonstrating a commitment to the industry and a desire for increased job responsibilities.
In the case of healthcare organizations, staff certification strengthens the public's confidence in the safety and capabilities of that particular hospital, clinic, or imaging services provider. This is clearly demonstrated by the agreement of all applicants, candidates, and certified professionals to comply with the ACI Code of Conduct, which means they will:
- Conduct professional activities with honesty and integrity.
- Uphold professional conduct to the highest ethical standards.
- Provide only those services for which they are qualified to perform.
- Maintain and improve professional knowledge and competence through regular self-assessments, continuing practice, continuing education, and training.
- Act in a manner free of bias and discrimination against clients, colleagues, and customers.
- Maintain the privacy of individuals and confidentiality of information obtained.
- Obey all applicable laws, regulations, and codes.
- Follow all certification policies, procedures, guidelines, and requirements of the ACI.
An ethical agreement like this speaks volumes about the quality and reliability of imaging team members and the equipment they maintain. This level of professional commitment is easily recognized by patients and coworkers alike, and ultimately leads to a higher level of medical care.
In addition, once a certification is earned, it must be maintained through a three-year cycle of continuing education and renewal fees. Recertification is extremely important because it requires imaging staff to maintain the established standard for their field. This ensures that both patients and equipment continue receiving the best level of care.
What's So Special About Training with an AAMI Certified Training Center?
We're proud of our status as a AAMI-certified Siemens training center and have been leading the charge for many fundamental changes regarding AAMI certification for imaging engineers. Premium courses, like those we provide, offer eight or more continuing education credits (CEUs) per day of training from the ACI and are now considered the gold standard. In support of that level of excellence, our students earn 45 ACI CEU credits (9 per day) per course on more Siemens equipment than any non-OEM provider.
AAMI's ACI certification programs recognize healthcare technology companies, like Technical Prospects, whose training courses support high standards for the safety and efficacy of medical equipment. Their primary goal is to they help the healthcare field ensure the safe and effective productions, distribution, and use of health technology, which includes the repair and maintenance of imaging systems. We help AAMI achieve that goal by not only training students to maintain and repair imaging systems, but by familiarizing them with the device's role in a clinical settings.
What Other Benefits Does Technical Prospects Training Provide?
Our in-person lab-based courses are taught at our world-class training center in Appleton, Wisconsin. The facility includes 17 clinical environment training and QA bays with 27 fully operational Siemens systems, two modern classrooms, and a cafeteria/kitchen area. During our courses, students engage in discussions, lectures, and labs centered on the core principles of equipment operation, configuration, troubleshooting, and repair of all primary system components while strictly adhering to CDC workplace guidelines.
In response to the growing need for imaging engineer training, as well as to provide easier access to that training, we're developing the Interactive Virtual Training Academy, a modernized training solution based on the needs of today's imaging engineer. Keep an eye out for more information coming soon.
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