UC Davis Pediatric Echocardiography Lab earns reaccreditation

The UC Davis Pediatric Heart Center's Pediatric Echocardiography Laboratory has been re-accredited by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC). The accreditation covers pediatric and congenital transthoracic, pediatric and congenital transesophageal and fetal echocardiography. It is the only center in the Sacramento region with the accreditation in all three of these areas. 

The three-year accreditation, effective this month, demonstrates the center’s ongoing commitment to providing high-quality patient care in echocardiography. In addition to the Pediatric Heart Center at UC Davis Children’s Hospital, the following UC Davis Health clinic locations also received accreditation:

• Cadillac Drive, for pediatric and congenital transthoracic echocardiography
• Roseville Clinic, for pediatric and congenital transthoracic echocardiography, fetal echocardiography
• Davis Clinic, for pediatric and congenital transthoracic echocardiography
• Stockton Clinic, for fetal echocardiography

The accreditation process includes a detailed self-evaluation followed by a thorough review by a panel of medical experts. The process includes a review of both the critical operational and technical components of the facility, including representative case studies and their corresponding final reports.

Echocardiograms, which are noninvasive ultrasound studies, are commonly used to evaluate heart structure and function. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 40,000 infants in the United States is born with a congenital heart defect annually, making it the most common type of birth defect. It is also the most critical, as congenital heart defects cause more deaths during the first year of life than any other birth defect. Over the past few decades, however, diagnosis and treatment has improved, allowing almost all affected children to live healthy lives into adulthood.

UC Davis Health offers quality imaging and interpretation of congenital heart defects, which requires years of experience, training and internal review.