Deborah Heart and Lung Center Receives Bronze Milestone Recognition from IAC for Its Long-Term Commitment to the Performance and Interpretation of Quality Echocardiograms Since[...]

By achieving IAC Echocardiography accreditation for 20 years, Deborah Heart and Lung Center has received a Bronze Milestone Recognition for demonstrating its long-term commitment to continuously improving patient outcomes and safety. Every three-year cycle, accredited facilities undergo an intensive application and review process to re-earn accreditation, with an assessment conducted 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.

Echocardiography is used to assess different areas of the heart and can detect heart disease or signs of serious cardiovascular conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. On average, one American dies every 34 seconds of cardiovascular disease - disorders of the heart and blood vessels. IAC accreditation assesses the many factors that contribute to an accurate diagnosis based on echocardiography. The training and experience of the sonographer 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.

"The accreditation is only given to facilities that adhere to rigorous standards, and we are proud that Deborah has achieved this milestone after 20 years of IAC accreditation," said Paul Antonucci, Senior Director of Imaging Services, Deborah Heart and Lung Center.

Patients, referring physicians and insurers look for the IAC seal of accreditation as the 'gold standard' in the field of echocardiography. Facilities that achieve IAC accreditation demonstrate a clear indicator that they provide a high quality level of patient care.

"We are proud to recognize long-time accredited echocardiography facilities through the milestone recognition program. Since being incorporated in 1997 as the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories (ICAEL), we (now IAC Echocardiography) have helped thousands of facilities standardize their processes to provide better patient care and improved outcomes. The recognized facilities are true champions of accreditation. This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the staff who have consistently demonstrated their commitment to delivering safe, effective and compassionate care using accreditation as a quality metric. These facilities' ongoing commitment to quality patient care is an example for other health care providers to follow. It is a reminder of the importance of putting patients first and striving to continuously improve the quality of care provided," said Mary Lally, MS, CAE, CEO of the IAC.

The Impact of IAC Accreditation on Quality Patient Care in Echocardiography

Several studies have been published demonstrating the impact of IAC accreditation on patient care. Specific to echocardiography, research indicates better image quality and better adherence to guidelines related to the quantification of aortic stenosis at IAC-accredited facilities. In addition, IAC-accredited echocardiography facilities have more complete reports and are more likely to communicate pertinent examination findings and demographic information. Data demonstrates that reports from IAC-accredited facilities provide a more complete representation of the patient's cardiac status. Visit www.intersocietal.org/research to access published abstracts and manuscripts.

About IAC

The IAC is a nonprofit organization in operation to evaluate and accredit facilities that provide diagnostic imaging and interventional-based procedures, thus improving the quality of patient care provided in private offices, clinics and hospitals where such services are performed. The IAC provides accreditation programs for vascular testing, echocardiography, nuclear/PET, MRI, CT/dental CT, carotid stenting, vascular interventional, cardiac electrophysiology and cardiovascular catheterization. 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^®. Committed to its mission through a rigorous peer review process, the IAC has granted accreditation to more than 14,000 sites since its inception in 1991. To learn more about IAC, visit www.intersocietal.org.

About Deborah Heart and Lung Center

Deborah Heart and Lung Center in Browns Mills, New Jersey is a teaching hospital in the prevention, diagnosis, research and treatment of heart, lung and vascular diseases. Founded in 1922, Deborah has treated more than 2.3 million hearts from every corner of the United States and 87 countries. From performing the first adult and pediatric open-heart surgeries in New Jersey, to one of the highest-volume left-ventricular assist device (LVAD) implant programs in the nation, Deborah is consistently recognized as a leader overall and in patient care from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

It is ranked among the top hospitals in New Jersey for patient satisfaction; holds a top-tier Society of Thoracic Surgeons rating, which places Deborah among the best cardiac surgery programs in North America; and is rated High Performing in five specialties, Heart Attack, Heart Bypass Surgery, Heart Failure, COPD and TAVR by U.S. News & World Report. Deborah is an Alliance member of the Cleveland Clinic Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute. To learn more about Deborah, visit https://demanddeborah.org/.

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