Bluffton Hospital cardiopulmonary department has received an additional three-year term of accreditation by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) in Echocardiography in the area of Adult Transthoracic.

This accreditation demonstrates the hospital’s ongoing commitment to providing quality patient care in echocardiography.

Echocardiography, or echo, is used to assess different areas of the heart and can detect heart disease or signs of serious conditions. 

The procedure is a painless test that uses sound waves to create moving pictures of your heart. The pictures show the size and shape of your heart. They also show how well your heart's chambers and valves are working.

Echo also can pinpoint areas of heart muscle that aren't contracting well because of poor blood flow or injury from a previous heart attack.

Echo can detect possible blood clots inside the heart, fluid buildup in the pericardium (the sac around the heart), and problems with the aorta. 

There are many factors that contribute to an accurate diagnosis based on echocardiography. 

The training and experience of the sonographer performing the procedure, the type of equipment used and the quality assessment metrics each facility is required to measure, all contribute to a positive patient outcome. 

IAC accreditation is a “seal of approval” that patients can rely on as an indicator of consistent quality care and a dedication to continuous improvement. 

Accreditation by IAC indicates that Bluffton Hospital cardiopulmonary has undergone an intensive application and review process and is found to be in compliance with the published Standards.

Comprised of a detailed self-evaluation followed by a thorough review by a panel of medical experts, the IAC accreditation process enables both the critical operational and technical components of the applicant facility to be assessed, including representative case studies and their corresponding final reports. 

About IAC
The IAC is a nonprofit organization in operation to evaluate and accredit facilities that provide diagnostic imaging and intervention-based procedures, thus improving the quality of patient care provided in private offices, clinics and hospitals where such services are performed.