Echocardiography is used to assess different areas of the heart and can detect heart disease or signs of serious conditions. 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 (AHA), more than 2,150 Americans die each day from cardiovascular disease which amounts to about one every 40 seconds.
Northwest Health – Porter located in Valparaiso, has been granted an additional three-year term of accreditation by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) in Adult Transthoracic Echocardiography. This is the latest accreditation awarded to Northwest Health - Porter for cardiovascular medicine and demonstrates the facility's ongoing commitment to providing quality heart care.
There are 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 hospitals are required to monitor, 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 IAC indicates that Northwest Health - Porter has undergone an intensive application and review process and is found to be in compliance with the published Standards. 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 hospitals to be assessed, including representative case studies and their corresponding final reports.
The IAC is a nonprofit organization in operation to evaluate and accredit hospitals that provide diagnostic imaging and intervention-based procedures, thus improving the quality of patient care provided.
To learn more about cardiac care at Northwest Health visit NWHealthIN.com.
