As a Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS) with more than eight years of working in a hospital setting, I knew something had to change.
With a workload that seemed to constantly demand more and more of me, I didn’t want to shy away from my cardiovascular career that I was still passionate about, but I knew something had to give. Something had to combat the burn
out and injuries that often plague sonographers, and that I was experiencing, as well.
The hospitals no longer seemed to care about the quality of the ultrasounds, as much as the quantity. I toyed with the idea of going part time, but I knew there had to be a better life/work solution out there.
While I frequently browsed for RDCS jobs on Indeed and LinkedIn, I often ignored the daily recruitment messages, since they all sounded like they were drafted from the same script.
One afternoon I was especially feeling the urge for change, when I came across one of these messages in my inbox. It was from a new portable ultrasound startup in the Kansas City area, but it sounded like they had a great mission – to bring access to ultrasound care to people with mobility challenges. So I did something crazy: I responded.
And I’m glad that I did. New Frontier Mobile Diagnostics is part of a new wave of healthcare providers focused on bringing professional care to people in need, but with a focus on quality, rather than quantity. They don’t want 15-minute echos; they want me to do the job to the best of my ability, both for the patients’ results and for my personal satisfaction as part of the care team.
It is simple really – this company gives me the ability to create a life/work balance and provide the care patients want and need. I’m able to look into patients’ eyes, and actually have time to listen. I’m allowed to be a professional sonographer, not just a cog in the machine.
Plus, there are no “on call” windows, no nights, no weekends, and no holidays. None of it! Will I miss the late-night call backs, the chaos of an ER/ICU, my pulse racing when my pager goes off, or my sore back, after being asked if I can do one more test before I go? Not likely. I want to give patients the best of me every time, and this role helps me ensure that I’m well-rested and well-supplied, allowing me to do that.
Change is happening in the healthcare world. I’m proud to be part of a team that offers a high-quality care solution to individuals wanting to avoid the stress of going to an imaging center or hospital, and I’m proud that we’re able to offer these services at a fraction of the cost.
At the end of the day, I needed to do what was best for me as well as my patients. I’m glad that I chose to “take a chance” on a company outside of the hospital system.