FOR RELEASE: April 13, 2004

Crouse Hospital’s Echocardiography Program Receives Reaccreditation

Program One of Only Seven in NYS Accredited in all Three Areas of Adult Echocardiography

Syracuse, NY – Crouse Hospital's Echocardiography program has been reaccredited by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories (ICAEL), making it the only fully accredited program in Central New York in all three areas of adult echocardiography. Those areas include stress, transesophageal and transthoracic echocardiography. Crouse’s comprehensive echocardiography program is one of only seven in New York State. The accreditation is for three years.

ICAEL accredits echocardiography programs nationwide that provide high-quality echocardiographic services and that comply with rigorous standards outlined in the "Essentials and Standards" guidelines established by the American Society of Echocardiography and the American College of Cardiology.

Cardiac structure and flow information provided by echocardiographic testing is useful in the detection and management of many types of heart disease. Echocardiography is a complex imaging technique that relies on the experience and training of both the physicians and sonographers. Their interpretive and technical abilities are critical to accurate cardiac diagnoses.

Located within the hospital’s Cardiac Care Center, the Crouse Hospital echocardiography lab performs about 5,000 procedures annually. Anis Obeid, MD serves as medical director for the program.

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