News Articles

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: June 28, 2016
CONTACT: Michelle Frasik (989) 894-3813
[email protected]


Two McLaren Health Care Facilities Receive Vascular Testing Accreditations by the IAC

McLaren Bay Region Vascular Lab located in Bay City, MI has been granted a three-year term of accreditation in Vascular Testing in the areas of Extracranial Cerebrovascular Testing, Peripheral Arterial Testing, and Visceral Vascular Testing by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC). Additionally, McLaren Bay Heart and Vascular West Branch located in West Branch, MI has been granted a three-year term of accreditation in Vascular Testing in the areas of Extracranial Cerebrovascular Testing and Peripheral Arterial Testing by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC).

Accreditation by the IAC means that McLaren Bay Region Vascular Lab and McLaren Bay Heart and Vascular West Branch have undergone a thorough review of its operational and technical components by a panel of experts. The IAC grants accreditation only to those facilities that are found to be providing quality patient care, in compliance with national standards through a comprehensive application process including detailed case study review.

Cardiovascular diseases are 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 country, with nearly 800,000 new strokes occurring annually. 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.

Early detection of life threatening heart disorders, stroke and other diseases is possible through the use of Vascular Testing procedures performed within hospitals, outpatient centers and physicians’ offices. While these tests are helpful, there are many facets that contribute to an accurate diagnosis based on Vascular Testing. The skill of the technologist performing the examination, the type of equipment used, the background and knowledge of the interpreting physician and quality assurance measures are each critical to quality patient testing.

IAC accreditation is a “seal of approval” that patients can rely on as an indication that the facility has been carefully critiqued on all aspects of its operations considered relevant by medical experts in the field of Vascular Testing. When scheduled for a Vascular Testing 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/vascular/main/patients.htm.

IAC accreditation is widely respected within the medical community, as illustrated by the support of the national medical societies related to Vascular Testing, which include physicians, technologists and sonographers. Vascular Testing accreditation is required in some states and regions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and by some private insurers. However, patients should remain vigilant in making sure that their Vascular Testing procedures are performed within accredited facilities, because for many facilities it remains a voluntary process.

About McLaren Health Care:
McLaren Health Care, headquartered in Flint, Michigan, is a fully integrated health network committed to quality evidence-based patient care and cost efficiency. The McLaren system includes 12 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, the state’s only proton therapy center, an employed primary care physician network, commercial and Medicaid HMOs covering more than 260,000 lives, home health and hospice providers, retail medical equipment showrooms, pharmacy services, and a wholly owned medical malpractice insurance company. McLaren operates Michigan’s largest network of cancer centers and providers, anchored by the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, one of only 45 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive centers in the U.S. McLaren has 21,000 employees and more than 25,000 network providers. Its operations are housed in more than 300 facilities serving a 54-county market and 75 percent of Michigan’s population. Learn more at mclaren.org.