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The IAC Standards and Guidelines
for Adult Echocardiography Accreditation

 

Click here for a printer-friendly PDF of the Adult Echocardiography Standards

Part A:
Organization

Section 1A: Personnel and Supervision

STANDARD – Medical Director

 

1.1A           The Medical Director must be a licensed physician.

 

1.1.1A            Medical Director Required Training and Experience

The Medical Director must meet ONE of the following initial qualifications:

 

1.1.1.1A             National Board of Echocardiography (NBE) active Testamur status


AND


Qualifying practice experience over previous 18 months:

i.               TTE - 450 examinations / 18 months

ii.             TEE - 75 examinations / 18 months

iii.           Stress - 75 examinations / 18 months

 

1.1.1.2A             Level 2 or 3 COCATS echocardiography training

AND

Qualifying practice experience over previous 24 months:

i.               TTE - 600 examinations / 24 months

ii.             TEE - 100 examinations / 24 months

iii.           Stress - 100 examinations / 24 months

 

1.1.1.3A             Cumulative practice experience of at least 1,800 echocardiography examinations

 

AND

Qualifying practice experience over previous 36 months:

i.               TTE - 900 examinations / 36 months

ii.             TEE - 150 examinations / 36 months

iii.           Stress - 150 examinations / 36 months

 

Comment: In addition to the initial qualifications, physicians must meet Ongoing Practice Experience and Continuing Medical Education Requirements as defined by the Standards outlined in this document.

 

1.1.2A            Ongoing Practice Experience Requirements

Performance/interpretation of an average minimum number of echocardiography examinations per year in the specialties for which the staff member is listed:

 

1.1.2.1A             TTE 300 examinations / year

1.1.2.2A             TEE 50 examinations / year

1.1.2.3A             Stress 50 examinations / year

 

1.1.3A            Medical Director Responsibilities

The Medical Director responsibilities include but are not limited to:

 

1.1.3.1A             all clinical services provided and for the determination of the quality and appropriateness of care provided;

 

1.1.3.2A             supervising the entire operation of the facility or may delegate specific operations to associate directors and the Technical Director;

 

1.1.3.3A             assuring compliance of the medical and technical staff to the Standards outlined in this document and the supervision of their work; and

 

1.1.3.4A             must be an active participant in the interpretation of studies performed in the facility.

 

1.1.4A            Continuing Medical Education (CME) Requirements

 

1.1.4.1A             The Medical Director must document at least 30 hours of CME relevant to cardiac imaging over a period of three years. CME credits must be earned within the three-year period prior to application submission.


i.               At least 15 hours must be echocardiography related.

 

1.1.4.2A             Yearly accumulated CME must be kept on file and available for submission upon request.

 

Comment: If within the past three years the Medical Director has completed formal training or has acquired/renewed NBE Testamur status, the CME requirement will be considered fulfilled.

STANDARD – Technical Director

 

1.2A           A qualified Technical Director(s) must be designated for the facility. The Technical Director is generally a full-time position. If the Technical Director is not on-site full time or serves as Technical Director in another facility, an appropriately credentialed sonographer who is a member of the technical staff must be present in the facility in the absence of the Technical Director and assume the duties of the Technical Director.

Comment: In a facility with no sonographers, the Medical Director serves as Technical Director and must assume the responsibilities of Technical Director.

 

1.2.1A            Technical Director Required Training and Experience

 

The Technical Director must meet the following criteria:

 

1.2.1.1A             The Technical Director must have an appropriate credential in echocardiography:

 

i.             Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS) from American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS)

ii.            Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS) or Registered Congenital Cardiac Sonographer (RCCS) from Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI)

iii.           Canadian Registered Cardiac Sonographer (CRCS), Sonography Canada

 

 

1.2.2A            Technical Director Responsibilities

 

The Technical Director reports directly to the Medical Director or his/her delegate. Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

 

 

1.2.2.1A             performance of echocardiograms in the facility;

 

1.2.2.2A             general supervision of the technical staff and/or ancillary staff (if applicable);

 

1.2.2.2A             delegation, when warranted, of specific responsibilities to the technical staff and/or the ancillary staff;

 

1.2.2.4A             daily technical operation of the facility (e.g., staff scheduling, patient scheduling, facility record keeping, etc.);

 

1.2.2.5A             operation and maintenance of facility equipment;

 

1.2.2.6A             compliance of the technical and/or ancillary staff to the Standards outlined within this document;

 

1.2.2.7A             working with the Medical Director, medical staff and technical staff to ensure quality patient care; and

 

1.2.2.8A             technical training.

 

1.2.3A            Continuing Medical Education (CME) Requirements

 

1.2.3.1A             The Technical Director must document at least 15 hours of cardiac imaging-related CME during their credentialing triennial cycle.

 

(See Guidelines below for further recommendations.)

 

1.2.3.2A             Yearly accumulated CME must be kept on file and available for submission upon request.

 

 

STANDARD – Medical Staff

 

1.3A           All members of the medical staff must be licensed physicians.

 

1.3.1A            Medical Staff Required Training and Experience

The medical staff members must meet ONE OR MORE of the following initial qualifications:

 

1.3.1.1A             National Board of Echocardiography (NBE) active Testamur status


AND


Qualifying practice experience over previous 12 months:

i.               TTE - 150 examinations / 12 months

ii.             TEE - 25 examinations / 12 months

iii.           Stress - 25 examinations / 12 months

 

1.3.1.2A             Level 2 or 3 COCATS echocardiography training

 

1.3.1.3A             Cumulative practice experience of at least 600 echocardiography examinations

 

AND

Qualifying practice experience over previous 12 months:

i.               TTE - 150 examinations / 12 months

ii.             TEE - 25 examinations / 12 months

iii.           Stress - 25 examinations / 12 months

 

Comment: In addition to the initial qualifications, physicians must meet Ongoing Practice Experience and Continuing Medical Education Requirements as defined by the Standards outlined within this document.

 

1.3.2A            Ongoing Practice Experience Requirements

Performance/interpretation of an average minimum number of echocardiography examinations per year in the specialties for which the staff member is listed:

 

1.3.2.1A             TTE 150 examinations / year

 

1.3.2.2A             TEE 25 examinations / year

 

1.3.2.3A             Stress 25 examinations / year

 

Comment: If there has been a lapse in the ongoing practice of echocardiography of more than two years, there must be documentation of:

 

i.               supervised review of interpretive and performance skills by the Medical Director; and

ii.             30 hours of echocardiography-related CME prior to resuming independent interpretation as a staff member.

 

1.3.3A            Medical Staff Responsibilities

 

Medical staff responsibilities include but are not limited to:

 

1.3.3.1A             the medical staff interprets and/or performs clinical studies.

 

1.3.4A            Continuing Medical Education (CME) Requirements

 

1.3.4.1A             The medical staff must document at least 15 hours of CME relevant to cardiac imaging over a period of three years. CME credits must be earned within the three-year period prior to application submission.

 

i.              At least 5 hours must be echocardiography related.

 

1.3.4.2A             Yearly accumulated CME must be kept on file and available to the IAC when requested.

 

Comment: If within the past three years the medical staff member has completed formal training or has acquired/renewed NBE Testamur status, the CME requirement will be considered fulfilled.

STANDARD – Technical Staff

 

1.4A           All members of the technical staff must be qualified sonographers.

 

The technical staff members must meet one of the following criteria:

 

1.4.1A            An appropriate credential in echocardiography from the ARDMS, CCI or Sonography Canada:

 

1.4.1.1A             Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS) from American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS)

1.4.1.2A             Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS) or Registered Congenital Cardiac Sonographer (RCCS) from Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI)

1.4.1.3A             Canadian Registered Cardiac Sonographer (CRCS), Sonography Canada

 

1.4.2A            Provisional Staff

 

1.4.2.1A             New graduates of a cardiac ultrasound program who are employed in an accredited facility must obtain an appropriate credential within one year from the date of graduation. These individuals must be listed on the application as provisional technical staff who are eligible for credentialing, and must only work under appropriate supervision of a credentialed sonographer.

1.4.2.2A             Individuals employed in an accredited facility who are cross-training in echocardiography or working to fulfill clinical experience pre-requisites for a credentialing examination must obtain an appropriate credential within two years from the start date of training. These individuals must be listed on the application as provisional technical staff who are eligible for credentialing, and must only work under appropriate supervision of a credentialed sonographer.

 

(See Guidelines below for further recommendations.)

 

 

1.5A           Technical Staff Responsibilities

Technical staff responsibilities include but are not limited to:

1.5.1A            reports to the Technical Director; and

1.5.2A            assumes the responsibilities specified by the Technical Director and, in general, is responsible for the performance of clinical examinations and other tasks assigned.





1.6A           Continuing Medical Education (CME) Requirements

 

1.6.1A            The technical staff must document at least 15 hours of cardiac imaging-related CME during their credentialing triennial cycle.

 

1.6.2A            Yearly accumulated CME must be kept on file and available for submission upon request.

 

STANDARD – Support Services

 

1.7A           Ancillary personnel (clerical, nursing, transport, etc.) necessary for safe and efficient patient care are provided.

 

1.7.1A            Clerical and administrative support must be sufficient to ensure efficient operation and record keeping.

 

1.7.2A            Nursing and ancillary services sufficient to ensure quality patient care are available when necessary.

 

1.7.3A            Supervision: The Medical Director must ensure that appropriate support services are provided in the best interest of patient care.

 

 

 

 

Section 1A: Personnel and Supervision
Guidelines

 

1.1.4A, 1.2.3A, 1.3.4A and 1.6A         One hour of CME or non-CME work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WRMSD) training is recommended for all staff. This can be fulfilled through CME, in-service training or IAC webcast.