IAC accreditation demonstrates a commitment to quality care.
The purpose of IAC Nuclear/PET accreditation program is “to ensure high quality patient care and to promote health care by providing a mechanism to encourage and recognize the provision of quality nuclear cardiology, nuclear medicine and PET diagnostic evaluations by a process of accreditation.” Through the accreditation process, facilities assess every aspect of daily operation and its impact on the quality of health care provided to patients. While completing the accreditation application, facilities often identify and correct potential problems, revising protocols and validating quality assurance programs. Because accreditation is renewed every three years, a long-term commitment to quality and self-assessment is developed and maintained. Facilities may use IAC Nuclear/PET accreditation as the foundation to create and achieve realistic quality care goals.
IAC accreditation provides a confidential peer-review.
Designed to serve facilities as an educational tool, IAC Nuclear/PET accreditation is made up of two crucial steps. First, facilities conduct a detailed self-evaluation using the IAC Standards and Guidelines for Nuclear/PET Accreditation and the Online Accreditation application. Completion of the application requires detailed information on all aspects of facility operation as well as the submission of actual case studies for review. The case studies are crucial in determining the facility’s compliance with the IAC Standards, and are the basis for judgment of the quality of work that facilities perform. Once the self-evaluation is completed, the documents and case studies are reviewed by the IAC Nuclear/PET Board of Directors. All aspects of the review are confidential.
IAC accreditation is a recruiting tool.
Accredited facilities can use their accreditation as a recruiting tool to attract the best and brightest physicians and technologists. Talented professionals look for high-quality programs, and accreditation assures potential employees that a facility is dedicated to achieving the highest standards for patient care.
IAC accreditation is intersocietal.
The intersocietal, multi-specialty approach is the foundation of the accrediting divisions under the IAC umbrella. IAC Nuclear/PET is a nonprofit organization established with the support of the sponsoring organizations. Representatives from these sponsoring organizations, including physicians and technologists, serve on the IAC Nuclear/PET Board of Directors. All areas of Nuclear Cardiology, Nuclear Medicine and PET were represented on the Board during the creation of the Standards for accreditation, and all areas continue to steer the accreditation process.
IAC accreditation is proven successful.
Modeled after the success of the first of Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) division, Vascular Testing, IAC Nuclear/PET was created in 1997 to accredit nuclear cardiology, nuclear medicine and PET imaging facilities, becoming the third member division of the IAC. Since its creation, the IAC Nuclear/PET accreditation program has offered a pathway for those utilizing nuclear cardiology, nuclear medicine and PET to both document their quality and comply with insurers’ payment policies that mandate accreditation including the most recent mandate, the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA). As of January 1, 2012, MIPPA requires all nonhospital providers of advanced diagnostic imaging, inclusive of Nuclear Medicine, MRI, CT and PET, be accredited as a condition for reimbursement. The IAC offers multi-modality accreditation through its programs dedicated to Vascular Testing, Echocardiography, Nuclear/PET, MRI, CT, Dental CT, Carotid Stenting and Vein Center (coming soon).
IAC accreditation demonstrates accountability.
Health care organizations are held to very high levels of accountability, by peers and by the general public. In numerous states, reimbursement directives that require accreditation of the facility have been instituted by Medicare carriers as well as private, third-party insurers (please visit Payment Policies section for the current list). Similar draft payment policies are pending throughout the United States. Facilities attaining accreditation before it is required for reimbursement demonstrate a willingness to surpass current expectations. The general public and members of the nuclear cardiology, nuclear medicine and PET community will recognize an unmatched commitment to providing quality health care by facilities that achieve IAC nuclear cardiology, nuclear medicine and/or PET accreditation. |
