Phelps Memorial Hospital Receives Accreditation in Echocardiography from the IAC

Phelps Memorial Hospital Center’s cardiovascular laboratory has been granted a three-year term of accreditation in echocardiography in the areas of adult transthoracic, adult transesophageal and adult stress testing by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC). This is the first time the lab has received this accreditation, and now it is fully accredited in all of the cardiovascular testing services it provides.

Accreditation by the IAC means that Phelps’ lab has undergone a thorough review of its operational and technical components by a panel of experts. The IAC grants accreditation only to those facilities that are found to provide quality patient care in compliance with national standards through a comprehensive application process including detailed case study review. “I feel that this reflects the excellence in echocardiography that the staff and physicians demonstrate daily,” says Tim Wages, Senior Administrative Director of Ancillary Services at Phelps. “We have met the IAC’s requirements for standardized acquisition and interpretation of echocardiography testing. This accreditation is an affirmation that our department’s standards are of high quality, including policies and procedures.”

Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death in the United States. On average, one American dies every 39 seconds of cardiovascular disease – disorders of the heart and blood vessels. The American Heart Association estimates that the direct and indirect cost for cardiovascular disease in the U.S. for 2010 was $503.2 billion.

Early detection of life-threatening heart disorders and other diseases is possible through the use of echocardiography procedures performed within hospitals, outpatient centers and physician offices. While these tests are helpful, there are many facets that contribute to an accurate diagnosis based on echocardiography testing. The skill of the echocardiography sonographer performing the examination, the type of equipment used, the background and knowledge of the interpreting physician, and quality assurance measures are each critical to quality patient testing.

IAC accreditation is widely respected with in the medical community, as illustrated by the support of the national medical societies related to echocardiography, which include physicians and sonographers. Echocardiography accreditation is required in some states and regions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and by some private insurers. xp3-v4.F