The Radiation Safety Officer as an Advocate for Patient Safety

The role of the radiation safety officer is to maintain radiation exposures as low as reasonably achievable. Traditionally, the focus has been on reducing or eliminating unnecessary occupational exposure to employees and ensuring exposure of visitors and members of the public is maintained below regulatory limits. Over the last three decades there has been increasing concern expressed in the medical literature on the potential risks of radiation exposure to patients undergoing diagnostic medical imaging procedures. This paper will discuss the need for advocacy and processes by which the radiation safety officer can expand the focus of a medical radiation safety program to include advocacy for applying the principles and practices of maintaining exposures as low as reasonably achievable to patients.