Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital Receives Echocardiography Accreditation

Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital has been awarded Echocardiography Laboratory Accreditation by the Internal Accreditation Commission (IAC), a quality review organization that develops standards and methods for the evaluation of quality care in the U.S. and Canada. Echocardiography Accreditation follows a rigorous review process that examines the operational and technical components of the hospital’s echocardiography program.

“Accreditation is an important process that ensures high quality echocardiographic studies and expert interpretations for our patients and referring physicians,” said Edwin Wu, MD, FACC, cardiologist at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital and Northwestern’s Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute. “Accreditation status is recognition that Northwestern Lake Forest is providing the highest standard of care.”

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S for men and women. On average, one American dies every 39 seconds of cardiovascular disease. Early detection of life threatening heart disorders and diseases is possible through the use of echocardiography procedures performed within hospital, outpatient centers and physicians’ offices. There are many facets that contribute to an accurate diagnosis based on echocardiography testing, including the skill of the echocardiography sonographer performing the examination, the type of equipment used, and the background and knowledge of the interpreting physician.

Accreditation by the IAC means that the Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital Echocardiography Laboratory has undergone a thorough review by a panel of experts and has been found to provide quality patient care in compliance with national standards through a comprehensive application process including detailed case study review. IAC accreditation is a “seal of approval” that patients can rely on as an indication that the facility has been carefully critiqued on all aspects of its operations considered relevant by medical experts in the field of echocardiography.

For more information about Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital’s cardiovascular services and the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute in Lake Forest, call 847-535-8550 or visit www.lfh.org/bluhm_cardiovascular_institute.