Berlin, Md. — Early detection of life threatening heart disorders, stroke and other
diseases is possible through the use of vascular testing procedures performed
within hospitals, outpatient centers and physicians’ offices.
Cardiovascular diseases are the No. 1 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.
Atlantic General Hospital Vascular Laboratory, located in Berlin, Md.,
has been granted a three-year term of accreditation by the Intersocietal
Accreditation Commission (IAC) in Vascular Testing in the area(s) of Peripheral
Arterial Testing, Peripheral Venous Testing, and Extracranial Cerebrovascular Testing.
This latest accreditation awarded to Atlantic General Hospital Vascular
Laboratory demonstrates the facility’s ongoing commitment to providing
quality patient care in vascular testing.
Accreditation by the IAC indicates that Atlantic General Hospital Vascular
Laboratory has undergone an intensive application and review process and
is found to be in compliance 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.
“All ultrasound staff at the Atlantic General Hospital Vascular Lab
are registered vascular technologists with specialized vascular training.
They are held to strict continuing medical education requirements, keeping
them current with the most up-to-date standards. They are part of the
vascular team, along with our radiologists,” said Jill Todd, lead
ultrasound technologist at Atlantic General. “Vascular exams can
help reveal blocked or reduced blood flow in arteries and veins and assist
with identifying problems that could potentially lead to issues such as
stroke, poor arterial circulation in the extremities, or deep vein thrombosis
(DVT), among other problems.”
About Atlantic General Hospital
Atlantic General Hospital, a designated
primary stroke center, has been providing quality health care to the residents of Worcester,
Wicomico, Somerset (Md.) and Sussex (Del.) counties since May 1993. Built
through the commitment and generosity of a dedicated community, Atlantic
General’s main facility in Berlin, Md., combines the warmth of personalized
attention with the reassurance of medical expertise and advanced technology.
The not-for-profit hospital provides quality specialty care in oncology,
medical and surgical weight loss, orthopedics, and women’s diagnostics
among other services. Atlantic General Health System, its network of more
than 40 primary care providers and specialists, cares for residents and
visitors throughout the region. For more information about Atlantic General
Hospital, visit
www.atlanticgeneral.org.
About IAC
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.
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