Aspirus Cardiovascular Associates granted IAC accreditation
The Aspirus Cardiovascular Associates clinic locations in Wausau and Rhinelander have been granted a three-year term of accreditation in nuclear cardiology and cardiac Positron Emission Tomography (PET) by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC).
Aspirus Cardiovascular Associates has held this distinction in nuclear cardiology since 2003 and is one of only four accredited Cardiac PET services in the state of Wisconsin. Accreditation also has been awarded in Adult Echocardiography since 2000.
Nuclear cardiology-noninvasive techniques used to assess blood flow in the heart, evaluate the pumping function of the heart, and visualize the size and location of a heart attack-can aid in the early detection of life threatening heart disorders and other diseases. IAC accreditation is a “seal of approval” patients can rely on as an indication that a facility has been carefully critiqued and its providers will make accurate diagnoses.
Cardiovascular diseases are the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. On average, one American dies every 39 seconds of cardiovascular disease.
According to the American Heart Association, the total direct and indirect cost of cardiovascular disease and stroke in the U.S. for 2010 was an estimated $503.2 billion, which makes detecting problems early that much more important.
About IAC accreditation
IAC accreditation is widely respected within the medical community, as illustrated by the support of the national medical societies related to nuclear cardiology, which include physicians, technologists and medical physicists. Nuclear/PET accreditation is required by the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and in some cases by private insurers. However, patients should remain vigilant in making sure that their nuclear cardiology procedures are performed within accredited facilities, because for some facilities it remains a voluntary process.
When scheduled for a nuclear cardiology procedure, patients are encouraged to inquire as to the accreditation status of the facility where their examination will be performed and can learn more by visiting www.intersocietal.org/nuclear/main/patients.htm.
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