Sarah Bush Lincoln has been granted a three-year term of accreditation in echocardiography in the area of adult transthoracic by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC).
“Echocardiography is instrumental on many levels in diagnosing as well as treating multiple types of heart diseases,” said Prairie Heart Institute Cardiologist Thomas Cahill, MD, who practices at Sarah Bush Lincoln. “This accreditation assures our patients that Sarah Bush Lincoln’s echocardiography team is providing them with the highest possible level of care.”
The review for accreditation is rigorous and looks at every facet of the test process. The IAC evaluates the skill of the technologist, type of testing equipment used, knowledge of the interpreting physicians, and quality and detail of the records. The panel ensures that accredited facilities like Sarah Bush Lincoln are providing quality patient care and comply with national standards.
Echocardiography is used to assess different areas of the heart to detect heart disease or signs of serious cardiovascular conditions. The test uses ultrasound waves to create an image of the heart muscle. The waves can show the size, shape and movement of the heart’s valves and chambers as well as the flow of blood through the heart.
“This accreditation illustrates that Sarah Bush Lincoln has achieved the highest standards and reflects the Health Center’s commitment to excellence in cardiac care,” SBL President and CEO Jerry Esker said. “Evaluating images of the heart takes not only advanced technology and equipment, but also the exceptional skill and experience of our sonographers and physicians.”
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, followed closely by stroke as the fourth highest cause of death. According to the American Heart Association, more than 2,150 Americans die each day from cardiovascular disease which amounts to about one every 40 seconds.
IAC accreditation is a “seal of approval” that patients can rely on as an indication that the facility has been carefully critiqued on all aspects of its operations considered relevant by medical experts in the field of echocardiography.
For more information or to make an appointment at The Heart Center, call (217) 238-4960 or go to www.sarahbush.org.