Review of diagnostic imaging services requested by chiropractors
The AMA supports reforms that improve clinical appropriateness, patient safety (including minimising exposure to ionising radiation), and continuity of care under medical oversight. These principles are central to the AMA’s Diagnostic Imaging Position Statement (2025), which emphasises the leadership role of clinical radiologists and multidisciplinary collaboration for safe, effective, and affordable imaging services.
The AMA's advice in this submission is anchored in our submission on the updated professional capabilities for medical radiation practitioners, which sets out a clear model: the clinical radiologist leads the imaging team, provides professional supervision and oversight of patient care, and retains responsibility for clinical decisions and communication of results.
Medical radiation practitioners (MRPs) are valued for technical expertise in image acquisition and presentation, but they must not be tasked with independent clinical reasoning — such as assessing referrals, suggesting alternative imaging, or interpreting and communicating findings — outside a radiologist's direction.