Clinical Training Sessions

Training and Development

'People want to do the right thing, they want to create and offer quality, they want to do good in the world, and

....... if you give them the opportunity and the resources to do so, they will shine.'

Jim Alling
President, Starbucks U.S. Business

All Cardiac Physiologists are subject to a training programme in advance to patient contact. The training programme includes:

• BSE Guidelines
• Ultrasound Equipment
• Echotech Reporting Guidelines including Echotech Report
• Recording / archiving of study images including iCardiogram and EchoNet
• Echotech policies and procedures

The Clinical Operation Managers view a proportion of the study images (approx 30%) as part of the quality assurance process.

If a Cardiac Physiologist would like a second opinion from his/her Clinical Operations Manager, a request to view the study images is made on the report form.

The sharing of good practice, knowledge and skills amongst our network of Cardiac Physiologists is actively encouraged. This is supported by bi annual training days run by the Clinical Lead and the Clinical Operations Director (see below).

Monthly Clinical Governance meetings are held to review ongoing performance and to seek ways to improve the service. In attendance at the CG meetings are: Clinical Lead, Clinical Operations Director, Clinical Operation Managers, Business Operations Director and Managing Director.

All training is documented and signed by the relevant personnel.

All staff receive regular performance appraisals and as part of this, their competence and continuing professional development (CPD) requirements are reviewed. Professional and self-development is actively supported. For example, all Echotech staff attend the BSE annual clinical and scientific meeting.

Echotech represents a 'virtual' echo department, mobilising 'echo units' across institutional boundaries providing prompt, convenient access to echocardiography in the community setting.

As with all successful clinical departments, we adhere fully to the 7 pillars of Clinical Governance, including a system for Training and Education.

Echotech conducts formal bi annual training days to ensure all clinical staff are kept abreast of the very latest advances in transthoracic echocardiography.

Our most recent training session held on Saturday 15th November 2008 at the Echotech Head Office, included the following components:

• The Echotech Reporting Guidelines
• Aortic Stenosis
• Siemens P50 system and iCardiogram reporting and image archiving

Feedback from all the staff has been extremely positive.

'It was very informative and great fun too. I feel so proud to be part of such a professional team. Everybody there impressed me with their dedication to their careers and all shared the same ethical standards.'
Echotech Cardiac Physiologist