SVMC Cardiology Receives Echocardiography Reaccreditation from the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC)

Left to right: Steven Anisman, MD, FACC; Medical Director Scott Rogge, MD, FACC; Echocardiographer Bradley Ransom, Alison Malmborg, RN, MSN, ARNP-BC; and Echocardiographer and Technical Director for the Echocardiography Lab Heather Hogle. Not pictured are Brandon Bullinger, echocardiography tech; Jennifer Thuermer, DNP; and Paul Wangenheim, MD.

BENNINGTON, VT—September 27, 2021—Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) Cardiology has again achieved the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission’s (IAC) accreditation for adult transthoracic and adult stress echocardiography. SVMC, which includes SVMC Cardiology, is one of only five facilities in the state that is accredited in adult stress echocardiography.

“Receiving accreditation and board certification means that patients can be assured that we are following all the standards put forth by the leaders in the field, including high quality imaging equipment and registered technicians,” said Scott Rogge, MD, medical director of both Cardiology and the Echocardiography Lab. “Ultimately, these factors contribute to better clinical outcomes for patients.”

Accreditation by the IAC means that SVMC Cardiology has undergone a thorough review of its operational and technical processes by a panel of experts. The accreditation is granted only to those facilities that are found to be providing quality patient care in compliance with national standards through a comprehensive application process, which includes a detailed case study review.

Physicians and technologists in both SVMC Cardiology and the hospital’s echocardiography department submitted their work for evaluation. The process includes meeting quarterly requirements and reapplying every 3 years. The service was first accredited in 2014. This most recent accreditation will last through 2024.

In addition to the lab’s receiving accreditation, Drs. Anisman and Rogge are board certified by the National Board of Echocardiography.

Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death in the United States, and early detection of heart disorders is key to survival. For patients with specific symptoms or conditions, a doctor may order a specialized test called an echocardiogram, which can help diagnose life threatening heart conditions. The test is complicated and requires excellent skill, equipment, interpretation, and quality measures to ensure accuracy.

About SVHC:
Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) is a comprehensive, preeminent, healthcare system providing exceptional, convenient, and affordable care to the communities of Bennington and Windham Counties of Vermont, eastern Rensselaer and Washington Counties of New York, and northern Berkshire County in Massachusetts. SVHC includes Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center, the Centers for Living and Rehabilitation, and the SVHC Foundation. SVMC includes 25 primary and specialty care practices.
 
SVMC has earned several prominent distinctions. Most recently, SVMC received the American Hospital Association’s Rural Healthcare Leadership Award for transformational change in efforts toward healthcare reform and its fifth consecutive designation within the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program®. It ranked fourth in the nation for healthcare value by the Lown Institute Hospitals Index in 2020 and is one of Vermont’s Best Places to Work. SVMC earned an ‘A’ for hospital safety from the Leapfrog Group for two years in a row. During the pandemic, SVMC and both its skilled nursing facilities, the Centers for Living and Rehabilitation in Bennington, and the Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation at Hoosick Falls, earned perfect scores on a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services evaluation meant to determine the ability to prevent transmission of COVID-19 and other infections.
 
Southwestern Vermont Medical Center provides exceptional care without discriminating on the basis of an individual’s age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. Language assistance services, free of charge, are available at 1-800-367-9559.