• Shall be dedicated to providing high quality medical imaging following TotalVision standards.

• Shall respect the law and also recognize a responsibility to seek changes in those requirements which are contrary to the best interests of the patient.

• Shall uphold the standards of professionalism, be honest in all professional interactions.

• Shall respect the rights of patients, colleagues, and other health professionals, and shall safeguard patient confidences and privacy within the constraints of the law.

• Shall continue to study, apply, and advance scientific knowledge, maintain a commitment to medical education, make relevant information available to patients, colleagues, and the public, obtain consultation, and use the talents of other health professionals when indicated. • Shall recognize a responsibility to participate in activities contributing to the improvement of the community and the betterment of public health.

Certification is the one-time process of initially recognizing individuals who have satisfied certain skills within a profession. A person is certified by IAMT after completing educational preparation standards, complying with ethics standards, and passing a certification exam.

Registration is the annual procedure required to maintain registration of the certification.

IAMT registrants are those who, having already fulfilled the requirements for initial certification, continue to meet the requirements for annual registration.

The IAMT annually registers the certificates of individuals who meet the following three criteria: agreeing to comply with the:

• IAMT Rules and Regulations

• IAMT Standards of Ethics

• Continuing Education Requirements for Renewal of Registration.

• IAMT is committed to ensuring the integrity of annually registered certificate-holders. To that end, IAMT verifies the status of only those certificates that are currently registered.

• IAMT provides no information on individuals who are not registered.

• To ensure that they have the most current information — including skills and character qualifications — on a thermographer, employers should require current registration with the IAMT.

• Only thermographers who are currently registered — have renewed within the past year — may designate themselves as IAMT Certified Clinical Technologists and use the initials “CCT.” after their names.

The Standards of Ethics of the Institute for the Advancement of Medical Thermology shall apply solely to persons holding certificates from IAMT who either hold current registrations by IAMT or formerly held registrations by IAMT (collectively, “Certified Thermographers”), and to persons applying for examination and certification by IAMT in order to become Certified Thermographers (“Candidates”).

Thermography is an umbrella term that is inclusive of the disciplines of thermography.

The Standards of Ethics are intended to be consistent with the Mission Statement of IAMT, and to promote the goals set forth in the Mission Statement.

• The Code of Ethics shall serve as a guide by which Thermographers and Candidates may evaluate their professional conduct as it relates to patients, healthcare consumers, employers, colleagues, and other members of the healthcare team.

• The Code of Ethics is intended to assist Certified Thermographers and Candidates in maintaining a high level of ethical conduct and in providing for the protection, safety, and comfort of patients. The Code of Ethics is inspirational.

• The thermographer conducts herself or himself in a professional manner, responds to patient needs, and supports colleagues and associates in providing quality patient care.

• The thermographer acts to advance the principal objective of the profession to provide services to humanity with full respect for the dignity of mankind. • The thermographer delivers patient care and service unrestricted by the concerns of personal attributes or the nature of the disease or illness, and without discrimination on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, or socio-economic status.

• The thermographer practices technology founded upon theoretical knowledge and concepts, uses equipment and accessories consistent with the purposes for which they were designed, and employs procedures and techniques appropriately.

• The thermographer assesses situations; exercises care, discretion, and judgment; assumes responsibility for professional decisions; and acts in the best interest of the patient.

• The thermographer acts as an agent through observation and communication to obtain pertinent information for the physician to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of the patient and recognizes that interpretation and diagnosis are outside the scope of practice for the profession.

• The thermographer practices ethical conduct appropriate to the profession and protects the patient’s right to quality thermographic care.

• The thermographer assesses situations; exercises care, discretion, and judgment; assumes responsibility for professional decisions; and acts in the best interest of the patient.

• The thermographer acts as an agent through observation and communication to obtain pertinent information for the physician to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of the patient and recognizes that interpretation and diagnosis are outside the scope of practice for the profession.

• The thermographer practices ethical conduct appropriate to the profession and protects the patient’s right to quality thermographic care.

• The thermographer respects confidences entrusted in the course of professional practice, respects the patient’s right to privacy, and reveals confidential information only as required by law or to protect the welfare of the individual or the community.

• The thermographer continually strives to improve knowledge and skills by participating in continuing education and professional activities, sharing knowledge with colleagues, and investigating new aspects of professional practice.

• The Rules of Ethics form the second part of the Standards of Ethics. They are mandatory standards of minimally acceptable professional conduct for all present Certified Thermographers. • Certification is a method of assuring the medical community and the public that an individual is qualified to practice within the profession.

• The public relies on certificates and registrations issued by IAMT, it is essential that Certified Thermographers and Candidates act consistently with these Rules of Ethics.

• Rules of Ethics are intended to promote the protection, safety, and comfort of patients. The Rules of Ethics are enforceable.

• Employing fraud or deceit in procuring or attempting to procure, maintain, renew, or obtain: reinstatement of certification or registration as issued by IAMT. • Subverting or attempting to subvert IAMT’s examination process. Conduct that subverts or attempts to subvert IAMT’s examination process.

• Conduct that in any way compromises ordinary standards of test administration, such as communicating with another Candidate during administration of the examination, copying another Candidate’s answers, permitting another Candidate to copy one’s answers, or possessing unauthorized materials.

• Failure or inability to perform thermographic technology with reasonable skill.

• Engaging in unprofessional conduct, including, but not limited to:

- A departure from or failure to conform to applicable federal, state, or local governmental rules regarding thermographic technology practice; or, if no such rule to the minimal standards of acceptable and prevailing thermographic technology practice.

- Any practice that is contrary to the ethical conduct appropriate to the profession that results in the termination from employment.

- Actual or potential inability to practice radiologic technology with reasonable skill and safety to patients by reason of illness; use of alcohol, drugs, chemicals, or any other material; or as a result of any mental or physical condition.

- Adjudication as mentally incompetent,

- Actual or potential inability to practice thermographic technology with reasonable skill and safety to patients by reason of illness; use of alcohol, drugs, chemicals, or any other material; or as a result of any mental or physical condition.

- Adjudication as mentally incompetent, mentally ill, a chemically dependent person, or a person dangerous to the public, by a court of competent jurisdiction.

- Engaging in any unethical conduct, including, but not limited to, conduct likely to deceive, defraud, or harm the public; or demonstrating a willful or careless disregard for the health, welfare, or safety of a patient. Actual injury need not be established under this clause.

- Engaging in conduct with a patient that is sexual or may reasonably be interpreted by the patient as sexual, or in any verbal behavior that is seductive or sexually demeaning to a patient; or engaging in sexual exploitation of a patient or former patient.

- Revealing a privileged communication from or relating to a former or current patient, except when otherwise required or permitted by law.

- Knowingly engaging or assisting any person to engage in, or otherwise participating in, abusive or fraudulent billing practices, including violations of federal Medicare and Medicaid laws or state medical assistance laws.