University Hospital Echocardiography and Vascular Labs Receive National Accreditation

Contact: Patty Thelen (513) 585-7200
Date: 10-31-2005

Cincinnati - The University Hospital Echocardiography Lab has achieved re-accreditation by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories (ICAEL), and The University Hospital Vascular Lab has achieved re-accreditation by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL). The re-accreditations recognize University Hospital for its commitment to providing a high level of patient care and quality testing for the diagnosis of peripheral vascular disease and cardiovascular disease. ICAEL and ICAVL accreditations are valid for three years.

University Hospital is one of a select number of hospitals in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico to meet or exceed the ICAEL and ICAVL standards for noninvasive peripheral vascular and cardiovascular testing. 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.

"Our participation in the ICAVL accreditation process demonstrates University Hospital's dedication to providing a high level of patient care and quality non-invasive vascular testing," says Joseph Giglia, M.D., medical director of University Hospital's vascular lab.

"This national recognition by ICAEL is very important to University Hospital, as we continually strive to save lives through early detection of heart diseases," says Abhinav Diwan, M.D., medical director of University Hospital's echocardiography lab.

Vascular and cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the U.S., costing society more than 83.7 billion dollars each year in health services, medications and lost work time due to disability. One American dies every 32 seconds of these diseases. Early detection of life-threatening vascular and cardiovascular diseases is possible through the use of noninvasive testing techniques performed within the vascular and echocardiography laboratories.

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

-30-