Magnetic resonance imaging and nuclear medicine 

VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital (VCU Health CMH) has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and nuclear medicine as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR).

MRI is a noninvasive medical test that uses magnetic fields to produce anatomical images of internal body parts to help physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions. Nuclear medicine is a branch of medical imaging that uses small amounts of radioactive material, ingested by the patient, to diagnose and treat a variety of disease, including many types of cancers, heart disease and certain other abnormalities within the body.

Tammy Richardson, Lisa Reese and Nikki Evans show off the nuclear medicine camera

Diagnostic Supervisor Kim Walker said, "I am extremely proud of the MRI team at VCU Health CMH. We have a great group of technologists that work hard to provide a high level of care to our patients. They pride themselves in putting the patients’ safety and comfort as top priorities."

"As a long-time employee of VCU Health CMH, I am honored to say that our recent nuclear medicine accreditation goes further than just a certification," Supervisor Nikki Evans said. "It shows that the staff and organization go above and beyond to bring the best patient care to southside Virginia. It really makes the patients feel good when looking for the best care knowing that VCU Health CMH raises the bar for its departments to provide the best care possible."

The ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety. It is awarded only to facilities meeting ACR practice parameters and technical standards after a peer-review evaluation by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. Image quality, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control procedures and quality assurance programs are assessed. The findings are reported to the ACR Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice with a comprehensive report that can be used for continuous practice improvement.

Vascular lab 

Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. On average, one American dies every 39 seconds of cardiovascular disease — disorders of the heart and blood vessels. Stroke, a disorder of the blood supply to the brain, is the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability in the United States, with nearly 800,000 new strokes occurring annually. Early detection of these disorders is possible using vascular testing procedures performed within hospitals.

Many factors contribute to an accurate diagnosis based on vascular testing. The training and experience of the technologist 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.

Vascular lab team members Todd Howell, Amanda Santore, Missy Watson, Albert Mungo and Donna Jarrell stand with a scanner from the Vascular Lab

VCU Health CMH cardiovascular diagnostic services has been granted a three-year term of accreditation by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) in vascular testing in the areas of peripheral venous testing, peripheral arterial testing and extracranial cerebrovascular testing. This latest accreditation demonstrates the facility’s ongoing commitment to providing quality patient care in vascular testing.

Vascular Lab Technical Director Amanda Santore said, "I am honored to represent and be a part of our cardiovascular department at VCU Health CMH. Our patients always come first, and this helps prove that fact."

Accreditation by the IAC indicates that VCU Health CMH has undergone an intensive application and review process and is found to follow the published standards, thus demonstrating a commitment to quality patient care in vascular testing. 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.

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About VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital

VCU Health CMH is a nonprofit hospital that is dedicated to being the leader in health services for the south-central region of Virginia and portions of northern North Carolina. Since 1954, the hospital’s employees, physicians, volunteers and board of directors have worked to fulfill their mission of providing excellence in the delivery of health care. Today, VCU Health CMH has a new hospital with 70 private patient rooms and a long-term care facility with an additional 140 beds. VCU Health CMH provides a wide array of in-patient services, including acute care and long-term care along with many outpatient programs such as home health, hospice and many others. Since inception, they have grown to be one of the area’s largest employers with more than 800 employees, 160+ volunteers and 177 providers, representing 26 medical specialties, on staff. Visit VCU-CMH.org for more information.

About ACR

The ACR, founded in 1924, is a professional medical society dedicated to serving patients and society by empowering radiology professionals to advance the practice, science and professions of radiological care. The College serves more than 37,000 diagnostic/interventional radiologists, radiation oncologists, nuclear medicine physicians, and medical physicists with programs focusing on the practice of medical imaging and radiation oncology and the delivery of comprehensive health care services.

About IAC

IAC provides accreditation programs for vascular testing, echocardiography, nuclear/PET, MRI, diagnostic CT, dental CT, carotid stenting, vein treatment and management and cardiac electrophysiology. The IAC programs for accreditation are dedicated to ensuring quality patient care and promoting health care and all support one common mission: Improving health care through accreditation®. IAC accreditation is widely respected in the medical community, as illustrated by the support of the national medical societies related to vascular testing, which include physicians, sonographers and technologists. To date, the IAC accrediting divisions have granted accreditation to more than 14,000 sites throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.