Accreditation for cardiovascular imaging: setting quality standards for patient care.
The accreditation of laboratories performing noninvasive cardiac procedures is now routinely available and often required by insurance companies. In this article, the history of the accreditation for cardiac procedures is reviewed, the process explained, and the number of accredited laboratories listed. Decision pathways are listed, and common reasons for a laboratory being delayed in approval are described specific for the various modalities. Some of the common compliments and concerns received by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission are described.
Hartford Hospital, Nuclear Cardiology Laboratory, 80 Seymour Street, Hartford, CT 06102-5037, USA. gheller@harthosp.org
Gary V
GV
Heller
Sandra L
SL
Katanick
Tamara
T
Sloper
Mario
M
Garcia
D000068:Accreditation / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D002309:Cardiology / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000266:history / Q000592:standards*; D033161:Government Regulation; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006291:Health Policy; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D007753:Laboratories / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D014481:United States