(ST. LOUIS) - The Echocardiography Laboratory at Saint Louis University Hospital has been recognized by a national accrediting organization for its commitment to high-quality patient care and diagnostic testing.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and echocardiographic testing is an important diagnostic tool used in treatment and prevention. The lab at Saint Louis University Hospital recently received a full three-year accreditation by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories (ICAEL).
This non-profit organization evaluates labs that offer the non-invasive test which has become a standard diagnostic tool. The echocardiography uses noninvasive imaging techniques that rely on the expertise of both the cardiologist and the sonographer. The Saint Louis University Hospital lab is one of the first 1,000 in the United States to be accredited.
Arthur J. Labovitz, MD, acting director of the division of cardiology at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine and medical director of the Echocardiography Lab at Saint Louis University Hospital, said the accreditation was a major achievement. "There are a lot of echocardiography labs but not many have this accreditation," Labovitz said. "This is a real validation of the accomplishments of the professionals who work there."
Kathleen Habermehl, chief sonographer, said earning the accreditation was a major project. "IACEL have very high standards and we are proud that we were able to meet them," she said.
