OU College of Allied Health Celebrates Opening of Interprofessional Sonography Laboratory

On Friday, the University of Oklahoma College of Allied Health celebrated the opening of its new Interprofessional Sonography Laboratory, an advanced learning space made possible through a 10-year Value Partnership with global medical technology company Siemens Healthineers and through funding from the Presbyterian Health Foundation in Oklahoma City.

Attending the event were representatives from Siemens, leaders from OU Health Sciences and its clinical partner, OU Health, and students from several colleges who demonstrated the technology. The opening of the laboratory marks another milestone in the partnership with Siemens, which began a year ago with a commitment to bring the latest diagnostic and therapeutic equipment to Oklahoma to improve clinical care, promote workforce development, and advance education and research.

“We are proud to be a workforce college preparing health care professionals who will serve communities in Oklahoma and beyond,” said Jane Wilson, Ph.D., RDH, dean of the OU College of Allied Health. “The collaborative and innovative nature of this space will not only enhance student education, but it will help us attract top talent to address critical health care needs in Oklahoma and the region.”

The Interprofessional Sonography Laboratory currently has seven ultrasound stations featuring advanced technology, giving users a detailed look at the body’s organs, tissues, blood flow and other structures. Vesper Grantham, MEd, RT(N), CNMT, professor and chair of the Department of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences in the OU College of Allied Health, said the college’s sonography program is unique nationally because it prepares students for eligibility in four credentialing areas: abdomen extended, adult cardiac, vascular, and obstetrics and gynecology.

“Of our five bachelor’s degree programs in the Department of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, our sonography program is the largest with 48 students,” Grantham said. “Our comprehensive training program equips our graduates to excel in the workforce and makes them highly marketable and capable of meeting health care demands statewide and nationwide. Importantly, 80% to 90% of our students decide to stay in Oklahoma, benefiting both rural and metropolitan areas.”

The new ultrasound equipment will be at the center of sonography student education, but it will also be used by medical, physician associate and nurse practitioner students. Each will undergo training as part of their individual disciplines, and they will learn together as a team, experiencing the value of interprofessional care for the best patient outcomes.

Senior sonography student Cora Rolens said the technology’s sophistication will greatly enhance the educational experience with detailed imaging simply not available with older equipment. During her four years of education, ultrasound has advanced substantially, including the incorporation of AI to speed measurements and make patient care more efficient.

“In addition, collaborating with students from other programs is very helpful because they have knowledge that we’re not as familiar with, and we have more hands-on scanning experience,” said Rolens, who is from Poteau.

Anthony Alleman, M.D., chair of the Department of Radiological Sciences in the OU College of Medicine, said the equipment will also play a key role in research and recruiting the next generation of health care professionals. “This is the embodiment of interprofessional care,” said Alleman, who has played an integral role in the Siemens partnership since the beginning.

In health care, ultrasound is quickly becoming known as the “new stethoscope” for its ability to provide quick, point-of-care testing near the patient’s bedside. For example, a health care provider might use an ultrasound to both listen to and see the heart, rather than using a stethoscope to hear the rhythms of the heart muscle.

David Pacitti, head of Americas for Siemens Healthineers, said ultrasound is the most used imaging modality in the United States, more than MRI, X-ray and CT. “Ultrasound is growing and growing in use because of its advanced capabilities, and as it gets smaller over time, it will become the new stethoscope.”

“Ultrasound is a unique skill set,” Pacitti added, “and we are so pleased to be working with Oklahoma. Workforce training and education was one of the pillars of our partnership, and we are off to a great start.”