By achieving IAC Echocardiography accreditation for more than 20 years, North Country Hospital 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.
“We are so proud of our Echocardiography program here at North Country Hospital, “ stated Cardiac Ultrasound Technician, Lou Ann Laffoon. “This recognition clearly demonstrates our commitment to delivering safe, effective, and compassionate care using accreditation as a quality metric.”
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.
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.
Practice Manager, Shelly Starr, noted, “The Echocardiography program here at North Country Hospital has a long history of providing the highest quality of care and expertise to our ECHO patients. Ultrasound Techs Lou Ann, Kaitlyn, and Jonathan have been mentored by the best, with Bev Gage and Pauline Labor establishing the highest standard decades ago. Congratulations, Echocardiography Team!”