New Milford and Danbury Hospital emergency departments earn national ultrasound accreditation

Northwell Health's New Milford Hospital and Danbury Hospital emergency departments have earned Clinical Ultrasound Accreditation from the American College of Emergency Physicians, a national recognition that reflects both hospitals' commitment to providing fast, accurate emergency care for patients.

The accreditation recognizes the hospitals' point-of-care ultrasound programs, which allow specially trained emergency physicians to use imaging at the bedside to help quickly diagnose serious conditions such as abdominal aneurysms, ectopic pregnancies and internal bleeding. Ultrasound can also guide complex procedures and support faster treatment decisions.

Subscribe

New Milford and Danbury hospitals are among a select group of emergency departments in the country to meet standards developed by the American College of Emergency Physicians' Clinical Ultrasound Accreditation Program. The recognition shows that both emergency departments have the training, review processes, equipment and safety practices in place to use ultrasound effectively in emergency care.

"Every patient deserves the highest level of care, and this accreditation reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering rapid, accurate diagnoses, expediting treatment decisions and enhancing the safety and effectiveness of bedside procedures," says Robert Bazuro, DO, an emergency medicine physician at Danbury and New Milford hospitals with expertise in ultrasound who trains clinicians in its use during emergencies. "Through advanced training and rigorous standards, our emergency medicine providers are equipped to use ultrasound technology at the patient's bedside to improve care and outcomes."

Point-of-care ultrasound has become an important part of emergency medicine because it can provide critical information quickly. It can also help guide procedures, including finding veins when starting an IV is difficult. For patients, that speed can be especially important in emergencies.

"For example, after a car accident, ultrasound can help determine whether a patient may be bleeding internally and need emergency surgery. In other cases, it can help physicians make timely decisions while limiting delays in care," Dr. Bazuro says.

"This recognition is meaningful for our patients, families and communities because it reinforces the high standards our teams follow every day in the emergency department," says Erika Setzer, MSN, director of patient care services, emergency department and behavioral health at Danbury and New Milford hospitals. "Our teams at both hospitals have dedicated themselves to achieving this distinction and bringing advanced, high-quality emergency care to every patient who enters our doors."

Accreditation through the Clinical Ultrasound Accreditation Program demonstrates that a department has met national standards and made a clear commitment to quality, patient safety and continuous improvement. To earn accreditation, emergency physicians at New Milford and Danbury hospitals provided extensive documentation of their ultrasound training, clinical practices and quality assurance measures. The materials were reviewed by a national board of experts in emergency ultrasound.