James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital Receives Gold Milestone Recognition

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. 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.

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 leading cause of death in the United States. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, one person dies every 33 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease – disorders of the heart and blood vessels. Stroke, a disorder of the blood supply to the brain, is a leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability in the country, with nearly 800,000 strokes occurring annually. 

“IAC accreditation reflects the application of the highest standards of quality control in assessing the many factors that contribute to an accurate diagnosis based on vascular testing,” said Maureen Jackson, Supervisory Medical Instrument technician. “Among these are the training and experience of the technologist performing the procedure, the interpreting physician, the type of equipment used and the quality assessment metrics the facility is required to measure -- all of these combined contribute to a positive patient outcome for our veterans.”

Patients, referring physicians and insurers look for the IAC seal of accreditation as the “gold standard” in the field of vascular testing. Facilities that achieve IAC accreditation demonstrate a clear indicator that they provide a high-quality level of patient care.

“This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the staff who have consistently demonstrated their commitment to delivering safe, effective and compassionate care using accreditation as a quality metric,” said Mary Lally, MS, Certified Associate Executive, CEO of the IAC. “It is a reminder of the importance of putting patients first and striving to continuously improve the quality of care provided.”

Several studies have been published demonstrating the impact of IAC accreditation on patient care. Specific to vascular testing, research indicates through a peer review process, accreditation identifies areas for improvement, resulting in increased quality of images and interpretation through standardized reporting and quality improvement programs.

For more information about IAC Accreditation, visit www.intersocietal.org/research to access published abstracts and manuscripts.