Elk Regional Health Center has been awarded accreditation renewal in ultrasound as the result of an extensive review by the American College of Radiology (ACR).
Ultrasound imaging, also known as sonography, uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of internal body parts to help providers diagnose illness, injury, or other medical problems.
The accreditation renewal is good for a three-year period.
“We have a very dedicated team of individuals who focus on our patients and strive to provide the best possible care they can,” said Lisa Housler, Elk Regional’s Ancillary Services Director. “Earning a perfect accreditation score is very much a team effort, and we certainly have a great team in Radiology.”
The ACR’s Gold Seal of Accreditation represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety. It is awarded only to facilities that meet ACR Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards, following a peer-review evaluation by Board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. Image quality, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control procedures, and quality assurance programs are assessed. The findings are reported to the ACR Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice with a comprehensive report they can use for continuous practice improvement.
Elk Regional’s Radiology Department carries ACR or ICAEL accreditation in every modality, or category, of service. Accredited modalities include Obstetrical, Gynecological, General and Vascular Ultrasound; Digital Mammography; CT scanning; MRI; Nuclear Medicine; Echocardiography; and PET/CT.
In recent years, Elk Regional’s Radiology Department has made important technological advances. In 2009, Elk Regional became the first facility in the region to offer state-of-the-art digital mammography. Then in 2011, the Health Center began offering cutting-edge 3D and 4D ultrasound and low-dose, digital general Radiographic imaging.
Since 1987, the American College of Radiology (ACR) has accredited more than 20,000 facilities, including more than 10,000 practices in 10 different imaging modalities. The ACR offers programs in all modalities now mandated for accreditation under the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) – which includes CT, MRI, breast MRI, nuclear medicine and PET scanning – as well as under the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA). For more information about the ACR and their accreditation process, visit them online.
