ETMC Tyler’s Echocardiography Laboratory receives accreditation

ETMC Tyler’s Echocardiography Laboratory was granted accreditation by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories (ICAEL). This is the first hospital echo lab in East Texas to receive this recognition, according to ETMC Cardiovascular Institute Vice President John Stewart. 
“We are excited to be recognized for our commitment to high quality patient care and quality diagnostic testing,” Stewart said. 

Cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About every 26 seconds, an American will have a coronary event, and about one every minute will die from one.

An echocardiogram is an ultrasound picture of the heart that provides detailed information about heart function. This information is critical in diagnosing and treating such problems as congestive heart failure, abnormal valves, and blockages in arteries that cause heart attacks. This noninvasive test has become one of the standard diagnostic tools in cardiology with an estimated 10 million echocardiograms performed annually in the U.S.

Medical and technical advances are driving echocardiography into becoming an even more complex field, which is rapidly expanding and improving.  Providing
state-of-the-art cardiac care requires dedication, training, and experience of both the sonographer and physician.  Achieving accreditation illustrates ETMC’s dedication to quality patient care, which is shared by Kathy Woods BS, RDCS, technical director, and Dr. Scott Wright, medical director of the echo lab.

The ICAEL accreditation signifies that the facility has been reviewed by an independent agency, that recognizes the lab’s commitment to quality testing for the diagnosis of heart disease. For more information on this accreditation visit www.icael.org