Vascular laboratories, like the one at Mercy Health – Fairfield Hospital, that recently earned reaccreditation, make possible the early detection of life threatening heart disorders, stroke and other diseases.
The Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) granted Fairfield Hospital’s vascular laboratory a three-year term of accreditation in Vascular Testing in the area(s) of Peripheral Arterial Testing, Extracranial Cerebrovascular Testing and Peripheral Venous Testing. This reaccreditation demonstrates the facility’s ongoing commitment to providing quality patient care in vascular testing.
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading 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. Stroke, a disorder of the blood supply to the brain, is the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability in the country, with nearly 800,000 new strokes occurring annually.
There are many factors that contribute to an accurate diagnosis based on vascular testing. The training and experience of the technologist performing the procedure, the type of equipment used and the quality assessment metrics each facility is required to measure all contribute to a positive patient outcome. IAC accreditation is a “seal of approval” that patients can rely on as an indicator of consistent quality care and a dedication to continuous improvement.
Accreditation by the IAC indicates that the vascular laboratory at Fairfield Hospital has undergone an intensive application and review process and is compliant with the published standards, thus demonstrating a commitment to quality patient care in vascular testing. Comprised of a detailed self-evaluation followed by a thorough review by a panel of medical experts, the IAC accreditation process enables both the critical operational and technical components of the applicant facility to be assessed, including representative case studies and their corresponding final reports.
IAC provides accreditation programs for vascular testing, echocardiography, nuclear/PET, MRI, diagnostic CT, dental CT, carotid stenting, vein treatment and management and cardiac electrophysiology. The IAC programs for accreditation are dedicated to ensuring quality patient care and promoting health care and all support one common mission: Improving health care through accreditation®. IAC accreditation is widely respected in the medical community, as illustrated by the support of the national medical societies related to vascular testing, which include physicians, sonographers and technologists. To date, the IAC accrediting divisions have granted accreditation to more than 14,000 sites throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.