The Suit Magazine

There was a problem with the American health care system, and Melissa Martin could see it clearly. Something was missing. Certain practices were just not up-to-date, and some important standards were non-existent. So Martin set out to raise awareness about the dilemma.

And then she stepped in and became the solution. 

Martin is the owner of Therapy Physics Incorporated, where she has been responsible for improving the qualification standards and credentialing requirements for medical physics, a field that includes radiology, oncology, and nuclear medicine. The company is a comprehensive consulting service, ensuring that diagnostic and radiation therapy facilities meet accreditation and regulatory safety ratings. They perform equipment evaluation, radiation shielding design, and radiation safety training throughout Southern California, Idaho, and Alaska.

"We are the people who determine patient doses; we are the professionals who determine whether the patient is treated correctly or not. The qualifications for performing the job are much better defined today than they were five to 10 years ago," Martin told The Suit. With help from professionals like Martin, medical organizations are able ensure that their quality of patient care is always at its highest. 

"It is crucial these recognitions be part of the standards at facilities performing these procedures," Martin explains. Her concern for patient protection is evident as she illustrates how important ongoing education is. "I was certified in 1979. Does that mean I would still be current if I had never gone to school since then? Absolutely not.” Ongoing education is essential in a rapidly-changing field.

Her advocacy efforts have proven worthwhile. "Today, there is requirement that a certification is only good for ten years," she said, adding that professionals have to take new tests on industry standards in order to be recertified. Previously, no such accreditation standard was in place.

Martin earned her board certification in 1979 after graduating with an M.S. in Medical Physics from UCLA. The ensuing three-year radiological board certification program qualified her as an expert in diagnostic imaging, nuclear medical physics, and radiological oncology physics. Martin found medical physics to be “the perfect marriage, applying a technical physics background to the world of medicine." Her undergraduate work was in nuclear physics, which she admits was not in high demand during the 1970s.

She has since assumed the role of chief physicist at three major California hospitals, before moving on to a position with Therapy Physics. Martin joined the company as a partner and consultant in 1992; when her partner retired three years later, she became the sole owner.

"When I was a hospital-based physicist, I was very involved in the development of what would be considered national standards of quality for both radiation therapy and diagnostic imaging," Martin explains. "So when I went to the consulting world, I brought over the same level of service. Hospitals felt very strongly that whether they had a full-time physicist in-house or were using our consulting group, the patients and administration of the medical facilities deserved the same level and quality of service. We basically established that as a standard. I brought board-certified physicists into the group, and we've maintained that same level of service. We set the standard for the quality of medical physics in California."

Martin found that she was in an ideal position when budget cuts became the word of the day. "We've been very fortunate because although the economy went down, to a certain extent it almost played in reverse for us,” she said. “Hospitals that might have created a full-time position made the decision to continue using consulting services, rather than absorbing all the expenses of an employee."

But it’s not all silver lining. A focus on keeping costs down is what worries her most about the new healthcare bill. "It will be stressful to those in the medical profession that have developed an expertise," Martin says. "There is a big push to keep costs down with very little recognition to the incredible amount of training required for the physicians and the medical physicists, along with the expertise required to support those physicians. The changes seem to be driven entirely by cost. I recognize that we need to keep a limit on costs. But the idea that we can do it all by cutting reimbursement? There is no recognition for the training that goes into supporting the medical profession."

Always striving to stay a step ahead, Martin is active in several professional organizations, including the American Association of Physicists in Medicine, the American College of Radiology, the American College of Medical Physics, and the Health Physics Society. She has also served as a Treasurer of the AAPM, Chair of the AAPM Administrative Council, is the incoming Vice Chair of ACMP.

Martin's participation in these organizations gives her a formidable voice in the field. "When I got active in the local chapters I learned how to be a leader in local organizations," Martin says, adding that her goal is to "set an example of professionalism and ethics."

And Martin truly practices what she preaches. By attending consortiums and consulting with leaders in technology development, she keeps herself abreast of the latest advancements in medical physics. This, she says, is necessary for her additional role as an instructor at UC Long Beach.

"I teach fifth-year senior students in physics for radiation therapy treatments," Martin says. "This is the final course these students receive before they go out and actually perform patient care and deliver radiation therapy treatment. My goal, as instructor of that class, is to maintain the continuing education I need to be aware of current developments in the technology of treatment methods in radiation oncology."

By defining the role of medical physicists, Martin has effected industry-wide accreditation standards, recognition of ongoing education requirements, and regulatory controls of diagnostics and radiology therapy, There’s no question that she has carved a niche for herself as a leader in her field. And by teaching the students who are entering the profession, she ensures that the next generation will continue striving to improve patient care and safety.

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