(a) Any licensed health care practitioner or practitioner group operating or replacing any magnetic resonance imaging equipment or providing any magnetic resonance imaging service shall obtain magnetic resonance imaging accreditation by the American College of Radiology, or its successor organization, for all equipment, services and personnel involved with such magnetic resonance imaging activities of such practitioner or practitioner group. Such accreditation shall be obtained not later than eighteen months after July 1, 2001, or eighteen months after the date on which such magnetic resonance imaging activities are first conducted, whichever is later. Upon the expiration of the applicable eighteen-month period, no magnetic resonance imaging equipment may be operated or replaced and no magnetic resonance imaging service may be provided by any such practitioner or practitioner group that does not receive accreditation as required by this section. Evidence of such accreditation shall be maintained at any facility at which magnetic resonance imaging equipment is operated or replaced or at which magnetic resonance imaging service is provided and shall be made available for inspection upon request of the Department of Public Health.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, any licensed health care practitioner or practitioner group that is accredited as provided in subsection (a) of this section shall continue to be subject to the obligations and requirements applicable to services provided and the acquisition of equipment by such practitioner or practitioner group, including, but not limited to, any applicable certificate of need requirements as provided in chapter 368z and any applicable licensure requirements as provided in chapter 368v.