Updates From The Recent ICAEL
Board Of Directors Meeting, Winter 2005
from
the June 2005 issue
RANDOM
SITE VISITS TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS
Random
site visits will be a part of the ICAEL accreditation process,
effective November 1, 2005. Every laboratory applying for
accreditation is the potential recipient of a random site visit.
There are two random site visits performed for each application
deadline. After all of the applications have been entered into
the ICAEL database for a given deadline, a computer program
is run that randomly selects two of the applicant laboratories
from that deadline. Random site visits are performed in order
for the ICAEL to compare the actual laboratory functions with
the information supplied in the laboratory's application. In
essence, they are the method that the ICAEL uses to assess the
effectiveness and accuracy of the application; itself, an internal
quality assurance measure for the ICAEL process. The cost of
random site visits is paid by the ICAEL. Each quarter, the laboratories
that are randomly selected to receive this type of site visit
are informed of the necessity of a site visit in written correspondence
from the ICAEL. An ICAEL staff member or a site visitor will
contact the laboratory by telephone to schedule a mutually acceptable
date for the site visit. Required site visits, which differ
in purpose from random visits, have been a part of the accreditation
program since its inception and remain so. A required site visit
is one that the ICAEL Board of Directors requires after the
review of the application has been completed, in order to gain
the additional information necessary to make the final accreditation
decision. Required site visit costs are the responsibility of
the laboratory.
TECHNICAL
DIRECTORS MUST BE CREDENTIALED BY JANUARY 1, 2007
Beginning
January 1, 2007, a new policy will become effective requiring
the Technical Director of each applicant laboratory to be credentialed
in echocardiography. The Board of Directors has deemed the
following as acceptable credentials for echocardiographers:
- Registered
Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS) - administered
by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography
(ARDMS) . . . . www.ardms.org
- Registered
Cardiac Sonographer (RCS) - administered by
Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) . . . . www.cci-online.org
REMOVAL
OF PARASTERNAL LONG AXIS VIEW OF THE PULMONARY ARTERY
The
ICAEL Board of Directors voted at the Board meeting to remove
the parasternal long axis view of the pulmonary artery from
the Adult Transthoracic list of views in the ICAEL Standards.
This was a view that was not being obtained by echocardiography
laboratories, and in light of requests from a significant number
of laboratories nationwide asking that the Board reevaluate
this view for their protocol, the Board felt it necessary to
address the issue. Upon discussion at the meeting, the vote
was unanimous for removal of that view from the adult portion
of the ICAEL Standards. Please note that this view was
not removed from the pediatric portion of the Standards.
This
decision by the Board exemplifies the willingness of the ICAEL
to work with laboratories when concerns and questions arise
regarding a particular requirement. The ICAEL Board of Directors
will be meeting this summer to review and revise, as necessary,
each of the ICAEL Standards to assure applicability to
current practice and other guidelines published by organizations
such as ASE, ACC, and AHA.
Need
personal assistance with your own questions and concerns? The
ICAEL staff is always here to help. Whether you have questions
about your application, would like more information about the
overall accreditation process, or feel just plain overwhelmed
by it all, please contact us at 410-872-0100 or toll-free at
800-838-2110.
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