The Sonographer Attachment Programme At USA Report : Accreditation

Echocardiography Accreditation

ICAEL

Designed to serve laboratories as an educational tool, ICAEL accreditation is made up of two crucial steps. First, laboratories conduct a detailed self-evaluation using the ICAEL Standards and the application. Completion of the application requires detailed information on all aspects of laboratory operation as well as the submission of actual case studies for review. The case studies are crucial in determining the laboratory's compliance with the Standards, and are the basis for judgment of the quality of work that laboratories perform. Once the self-evaluation is completed, the documents and case studies are reviewed by the ICAEL Board of Directors. All aspects of the review are confidential.

An echocardiography laboratory is defined as an entity located at one postal address, composed of at least one ultrasound instrument and a Medical Director and a Technical Director performing and/or interpreting transthoracic echocardiography. There may be additional physicians and sonographers. The laboratory may also perform transesophageal or stress echocardiography.

An accredited echocardiography laboratory requires the interpreting physicians and practicing sonographers to be adequately trained and experienced to interpret and perform echocardiograms. Published documents recognize that echocardiography requires considerable training and expertise. Although published opinions vary with regard to the absolute numbers necessary for attaining and maintaining competence in echocardiography, all agree that numbers of studies performed or interpreted are helpful but not sufficient by themselves to assure clinical competence.

In order to achieve accreditation for transesophageal (TEE) or stress echocardiography, all laboratories are required to be accredited in adult transthoracic echocardiography. Laboratories may submit completed applications for all testing areas at the same time or may first apply for transthoracic and add on TEE or stress echocardiography at a later date. All areas granted accreditation will expire at the same time regardless of when they were submitted in the accreditation cycle.

The intent of the accreditation process is two-fold. It is designed to recognize laboratories that provide quality echocardiographic services. It is also designed to be used as an educational tool to improve the overall quality of the laboratory.

American Registry For Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) 

The American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) is an independent, not-for-profit organization founded in 1975 that administers examinations and awards the following credentials:

• RDMS® – Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer®
• RDCS® – Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer®
• RVT® – Registered Vascular Technologist®
• RPVI® – Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation®

ARDMS is the globally recognized standard of excellence in sonography and has certified more than 65,000 individuals. ARDMS is composed of three key groups:

• Board of Directors – Sonographers, vascular technologists, physicians, research scientists, and a member of the public are volunteer members of the board that determines the direction and policies of our organization.
• Examination Development Task Forces – A group of sonographers, vascular technologists, physicians and scientists volunteer their time and expertise to produce our examinations.
• Professional Staff – A paid, highly-skilled staff administers our programs and assists applicants and registrants.

Credentials awarded by ARDMS document personal achievement of recognized professional standards and are widely accepted in the medical community by sonography and vascular professional organizations. However, ARDMS does not validate the day-to-day job performance of any sonography professional.

ARDMS has earned the prestigious ANSI-ISO 17024 accreditation for certifying bodies from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Accreditation is granted through the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). ARDMS has also earned accreditation with the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). The NCCA is the accrediting arm of the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA). Established in 1977 as a nonprofit organization, NOCA is a leader in establishing quality standards for certifying organizations.

Cardiovascular Credential International (CCI)

CCI is a not-for-profit corporation established for the purpose of administering credentialing examinations as an independent credentialing agency. CCI began credentialing cardiovascular professionals in 1968.

CCI is governed by a Board of Trustees and a Board of Advisors. The CCI Board of Advisors is comprised of representatives nominated by the following organizations to represent their cardiovascular specialty field:

• American College of Cardiology (ACC)
• American College of Phlebology (ACP)
• American Society of Echocardiography (ASE)
• Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI)
• Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS)
• Society of Invasive Cardiovascular Professionals (SICP)
• Society for Vascular Ultrasound (SVU)

In June of 2008, CCI was accredited by the American National Standards Institute under the ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024 Program. The ANSI accreditation was awarded to CCI’s RCES, RCIS, RCS, and RVS certification programs. The CCT, CRAT, RCCS, and RPhS certification programs are currently being reviewed for ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024 accreditation.

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) oversees the creation, promulgation, and use of thousands of norms and guidelines that directly impact businesses in nearly every sector. ANSI accreditation is recognized both nationally and internationally as the accreditation body of a quality certification program. The ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024 Accreditation Standards recognize those personnel certification bodies that adhere to rigorous, internationally recognized accreditation standards and represents the best practices in accreditation. ANSI is the only personnel certification accreditation body in the United States to meet nationally and internationally accepted practices for accreditation bodies.

The ANSI accreditation process incorporates both a review of a paper application and a performance of an onsite assessment. The purpose of the onsite assessment is to validate the information provided by each applicant, and its use is unique only to ANSI.