May 2006 | Vol. 24, No. 5

SVU Member Profile

Robert P. Scissons, RVT

Vascular Laboratory Technical Director
Bend Memorial Clinic Vascular Laboratory
Bend, Oregon

When did you start this position?

I started with Bend Memorial Clinic in July 2004. I’m an all-temp ARDMS/RVT—hot and cold, but never lukewarm.

Where and when did you get your vascular training?

Hummm, that’s a little like asking a woman (or older man) their age. As to where, the answer is Albuquerque, NM. I was working as a cardiac surgical scrub technician. One of the surgeons asked if I had ever heard of vascular ultrasound, and would I consider taking over his vascular lab. I asked him how much it paid—he replied by asking me how much I made. I embraced the dawn of a new profession at $9 an hour and within the first year I began using state-of-the-art vascular ultrasound equipment such as the Kartchner ocular pneumoplethysmography (OPG-K) and the Cranley-Grass phleborheograph (PRG).

How long have you been in the vascular technology profession?

Back to the age question again, heh. Let’s put it this way; Jimmy Carter was mid-way through his presidency when I began my vascular ultrasound career. I missed being a charter SNIVT member by one year, though I did attend the second (and my personal favorite) SNIVT national conference in Nashville, TN in 1979.

What made you decide to enter vascular technology as a career?

I’ve had the luck (and at times it seems, the misery) to enter this profession at its infancy. The quality, skill level and enthusiasm of the individuals entering this field at the beginning were both astonishing and inspirational. There was something dramatic, unusual and motivating on a daily basis. I have also had the good fortune to work with and meet exceptionally gifted educators and vascular sonographers. I must credit the Jobst Vascular Center, and Sergio Salles-Cunha, for making my job a profession and my profession a career.

What and where was your first job in vascular technology?

Back to Albuquerque NM, T Philip Jacob, MD, gave me my first job. He is also the most gracious, aggravating, ethical, likeable, pain-in-the-butt employer and friend that I have ever had the pleasure to work with or know.

When did you join SVU?

Let’s just say that at one time I was one of the first 100 SNIVT members—sorry, just can’t escape using that SNIVT acronym. And speaking of acronyms, did you know that SVU also stands for Syrian Virtual University, Sri Venkateswara University (Tirupati, India), the Savusavu (Fiji) airport code; and, (my favorite) “Special Victims Unit”.

What do you like best about your current position?

Hummm, you’ve put me on the spot with that one. I’ll stick with, “the people and the location.”

Have you served on an SVU Committee, if so, which one(s) and when?

I had the privilege to be the Chair of the Abstracts Committee in 1998 through 2001, and have been an Abstracts Committee member since 2001. I worked on the National Conference Program Committee from 1998 through 2003; was Chair of the Certification Committee in 1999-2001; Chair of the SVT Website Development Committee in 2000-2002; co-developer of the SVU Practice Surveys in 2001; Chair of Exam Standards 2000-2002; member of the Nominations Committee 2002-2004, member of the Fellows Subcommittee in 2004; and have been an editorial review board member of the Journal for Vascular Ultrasound since 1999.

What do you feel are the biggest issues facing vascular technologists today?

Gads, you’ve really asked for it now! I’ll over generalize and state—apathy, motivation and preparation for the future.

Let’s face it, like it or not, medicine has become a business. Personally, that reality makes my skin crawl, but it’s a fact that we must learn to deal with to move forward. In my opinion, the “business” aspect of our profession has created the “more for less” mentality that is everything but motivational and the perfect breeding ground for indifference.
Every year we are asked to provide more (vascular ultrasound) information with less reimbursement. We perform unilateral, pre-interventional, arterial duplex mappings for the same price as limited lower extremity duplex exams for pseudoaneurysm. Our venous insufficiency examinations provide the same reimbursement as femoropopliteal DVT exams. To add insult to injury, if the Deficit Reconciliation Act is not amended before January 1, 2007, we may look at these previous decades as “the good-ole-years”.

If we are to continue to move forward, I believe we must seriously reconsider our current processes and protocols. If medicine is a business, providing Mercedes quality vascular ultrasound services for toy truck reimbursement doesn’t sound like good “business” sense to me. While we may not be able to generate more of the “reimbursement pie”, we can certainly look at ways to slice the pie more equitably.

Furthermore, if you believe the 2001 SVT Practice Survey, 67% of us are over the age of 40. The Baby Boomer generation (as well as many of us) will enter retirement within the next 10-15 years. If we do not start to seriously prepare for this eventuality, the vascular lab is poised to become a major diagnostic logjam for other hospital services.

What tips would you give to today's ultrasound students about their career in the vascular ultrasound profession?

Become multi-ARDMS certified (minimum two, preferably three) in ultrasound. The “vascular only” vascular lab is the exception not the rule. Get a degree -- Bachelor’s preferred. The vascular ultrasound professional is the next frontier and the vascular sub-specialty is a major component for succeeding and prospering in that future.

How can SVU better serve its members in the future?

Find ways to give more for less (sound familiar). Consider multi-specialty and vascular lab group membership discounts; and, stronger alliances with other ultrasound specialties.

Any other comments you would like to add about your membership in SVU?

Participation in SVU committees and activities has allowed me to grow personally and professionally. While it often seems impossible to find the time to go to the bathroom (let alone volunteer for committee work), we have way too many followers and are in dire need of a lot more leaders. SVU is a great place to learn how to grow and lead our profession.

If married, what is your wife’s name? Do you have any children? If so, what are their names and ages?

My wife, Gloria, is the heart and soul of our family of two girls, Chloe (15) and Mia (10), a golden retriever (Indy) and three cats (Coco, Gabby and Willy). My status rests somewhere between Gabby and Willy—but, I’m loosing ground, and there’s talk about adding one more cat.

What do you do for fun and relaxation when not working?

Reading, writing, movies, wine and contemplating not enough exercise—not necessarily in that order.