Monroe Clinic Cardiology Earns Echocardiography Accreditation
Photo caption: Seated left to right: Kathy Crubaugh; Arif Ahmad, MD, FACC, FHRS; David Buchanan, MD, FACC; Kim Thome-Hough, APNP. Standing Left to Right: Tod Santiago; Alexa Anderson; Michelle Ward, RN; Diane Terry-Portersfield. Not pictured: Keith Devries, MD.
On average, one American dies every 39 seconds of cardiovascular disease — disorders of the heart and blood vessels. Echocardiography is one tool used for early detection of life threatening heart disorders.
“This accreditation affirms that Monroe Clinic offers the ‘Gold Standard’ in echocardiogram services,” said Tod Santiago BSRT, Director of Cardiology Services. “At a time when cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death in the U.S., we recognize that local access to exceptional heart care plays a key role in our community members’ ability to enjoy long, healthy lives.”
The effectiveness of an echocardiogram is dependent on more than the technology itself. The skill of the Echocardiography sonographer performing the examination, the type of equipment used, the background and knowledge of the physician and quality measures are all critical to a procedure’s accuracy.
Accredited Echocardiography services are not the only advantage offered to patients seeing Monroe Clinic’s cardiology team. They regularly provide patients with expertise on heart disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehab. The team emphasizes use of the imaging diagnostics, working to avoid surgery whenever possible. If surgery is needed, Monroe Clinic offers angioplasty and the insertion of cardiac stents.
Monroe Clinic cardiology services include:
- Enhanced cardiac catheterization and angiography imaging suites
- Specialized electrophysiology care to detect heart rhythm abnormalities
- State-of-the-art Cardiac rehab gym for healing and heart health maintenance
To learn more about Monroe Clinic’s IAC accreditation and the critique conducted by medical experts in the field of Echocardiography visit www.intersocietal.org/echo/main/patients.htm.
Monroe Clinic
Monroe Clinic is a not-for-profit, single hospital health system serving communities in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Sponsored by the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes, the system includes a multi-specialty physician practice with 119 employed providers, 11 clinic locations, a 24-hour emergency department, a home care and hospice agency, a retail health clinic and primary care sites offering preventive, acute and rehabilitative care.
In 2014 Monroe Clinic provided $17.3 million or approximately 10 percent of total net operating revenue, in unreimbursed services to benefit the communities we serve. Monroe Clinic earned five-star patient satisfaction rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for 2014, was named a Joint Commission “Top Performer” for 2013, and one of the 100 Top Hospitals® in the U.S. by Thomson Reuters in 2006 and 2008. The hospital building is certified LEED® Silver. For more information about Monroe Clinic, please visit monroeclinic.org.
