Enables early detection of life-threatening heart disorders, stroke, other cardiovascular disease
Dr. Kwame Amankwah is chief of vascular and endovascular surgery at UConn Health and medical director of its noninvasive vascular lab. (Peter Morenus/ UConn Photo)
UConn Health's noninvasive vascular lab has earned a three-year term of accreditation from the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) in Vascular Testing in the area of extracranial cerebrovascular testing.
Vascular testing can detect serious conditions early enough to make a life-changing difference. Many factors contribute to an accurate diagnosis based on vascular testing, including 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. IAC accreditation is widely accepted as an indicator of consistent quality care and a commitment to continuous improvement.
"Our vascular lab's three‑year IAC accreditation reflects the hard work, skill, and caring spirit of every team member - proof that together we can detect vascular disease, stroke, and aneurysmal disease early and keep our community healthier," says Dr. Kwame Amankwah, chief of vascular and endovascular surgery and the noninvasive vascular lab's medical director.
UConn Health has undergone an intensive application and review process and is found to be in compliance with the published standards, demonstrating a commitment to quality patient care in vascular testing.
"Vascular labs and vascular surgeons go together as the vascular lab exams are essential to diagnose vascular disease throughout the body," says lead vascular sonographer Lonnie Collins. "The noninvasive vascular lab growth has been phenomenal. We also provide same-day exam requests from many of the providers here in the Outpatient Pavilion, which can be a great time-saver for the patient."
The noninvasive vascular lab is located on the eighth floor of the Outpatient Pavilion, on UConn Health's lower campus.
"This is yet another reflection of our institution's commitment to consistent excellent quality care, in this case specifically in the area of extracranial cerebrovascular testing, or the evaluation of vessels outside the skull that provide blood to the brain," says Dr. Andrew Agwunobi, UConn Health CEO and executive vice president for health affairs.
The IAC accreditation process includes a detailed self-evaluation followed by a thorough review by a panel of medical experts, assessing both the critical operational and technical components of the applicant facility, including representative case studies and their corresponding final reports.
According to the IAC, vascular testing procedures enable early detection of life-threatening heart disorders, stroke and other diseases. Cardiovascular diseases are the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. On average, one American dies every 34 seconds of cardiovascular disease - disorders of the heart and blood vessels. Stroke, a disorder of the blood supply to the brain, is leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability in the country, with nearly 800,000 strokes occurring annually.
