Northern Kentucky - The St. Luke Regional Vascular Institute has achieved accreditation by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL). This accreditation recognizes The St. Luke Hospitals for their commitment to providing a high level of patient care and quality testing for the diagnosis of vascular disease.

Located at both St. Luke Hospital East in Florence and St. Luke Hospital West in Florence, the St. Luke Regional Vascular Institute is one of a select number of vascular laboratories in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico to meet or exceed the ICAVL standards for noninvasive vascular testing. The Vascular Institute also has outreach programs in Carrollton and Falmouth, Ky. and Wyoming, Ripley and West Union, Ohio.

"The team at the St. Luke Regional Vascular Institute is dedicated to providing the highest quality of screening, prevention and treatment for vascular disease," said John Edwards, M.D., vascular surgeon and medical director of the Institute. "The ICAVL accreditation acknowledges the quality of care our patients receive."

Peripheral vascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, costing society over 83.7 billion dollars each year in health services, medications and lost work time due to disability. Stroke, a disorder of the blood supply to the brain, is the third leading cause of death and disability in this country, with 500,000 new strokes occurring annually.

Each year, two million people in the United States alone develop deep vein thrombosis - blood clots in the veins. This affliction becomes life threatening for 500,000 of those people when the blood clot breaks loose and travels to the lungs.

Early detection of these life-threatening vascular diseases is possible through the use of noninvasive vascular testing techniques performed within vascular laboratories. The St. Luke Regional Vascular Institute provides the most advanced non-invasive technology to screen for blockages in the arteries in the neck, legs and stomach, four days a week.

During the accreditation process, every aspect of the laboratory's daily operations and its impact on the quality of health care provided to patients is assessed and reviewed. While completing the application, laboratories are required to identify and correct potential problems, revising protocols and validating quality assurance programs.

Participation in the accreditation process demonstrates the laboratory's attention to a high level of patient care and quality testing. ICAVL accreditation is valid for a period of three years.

The ICAVL is a non-profit organization established with the support of eleven medical societies including physicians, technologists and sonographers that represent medical specialties including cardiology, neurology, radiology, vascular medicine, vascular surgery, neurosurgery, internal medicine and biology.

To set up an appointment at the St. Luke Regional Vascular Institute, ask your physician for a referral to the Institute or simply call 859-212-4888. To register for a vascular screening, call the St. Luke Scheduling Line at 859-572-3440.

The St. Luke Hospitals are a part of the Health Alliance, an integrated health care delivery system that also includes The Christ Hospital, The University Hospital, The Jewish Hospital, The Fort Hamilton Hospital, Drake Center, West Chester Medical Center and the physicians of Alliance Primary Care. To view other Health Alliance news releases, go to www.health-alliance.com/pressroom.

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