Cardiovascular Laboratory at ARH Granted Accreditation

Alleghany Regional Hospital’s Cardiovascular Department has attained recognition for its commitment to provide a high level of patient care and quality testing for the diagnosis of vascular disease. The facility achieved a three year accreditation with the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL).
 
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, costing society over $83.7 billion each year in health services, medications and lost work time due to disability.  Stroke, a disorder of the blood supply to the brain, is the third leading cause of death and disability in this country, with 500,000 new strokes occurring annually.
 
One American dies every 32 seconds from cardiovascular disease, disorders of the heart and blood vessels.  Each year, 2 million people in the United States alone develop deep vein thrombosis---blood clots in the veins.  This affliction becomes life threatening for 500,000 of those people when the blood clot breaks loose and travels to the lungs.  Early detection of these life-threatening vascular diseases is possible through the use of noninvasive vascular testing techniques performed within vascular laboratories.
 
ARH’s Cardiovascular Laboratory is one of a select number of laboratories in the USA, Canada and Puerto Rico to meet or exceed the ICAVL standards for noninvasive vascular testing.  During the accreditation process, every aspect of the daily operations and its impact on the quality of health care provided to patients is assessed and reviewed. Participation in the accreditation process demonstrates the laboratory’s attention to a high level of patient care and quality testing, according to Connie Salyards, R.T.-R., Team Leader of the Imaging Department.
 
Molly Gimbert, LPN, RVT, RDCS, Patsy Sampson, RT, RVT, RDCS, Adam Palmer and Leona Patterson make up the staff of the Cardiovascular Department.  Interpreting physicians for the cardiovascular procedures are Dr. Juris Simanis, Dr. Bruce Banning & Dr. Mary E. Zelenik.