Contact Information:
Candace Slattery Wilder
Marketing Manager
cslattery@memphisheartclinic.com
901.333.1934

Deborah Coble
Director, Corporate Communications
dcoble@westclinic.com
901-683-0055 ex 1312

Memphis Heart Clinic’s Echo Lab Receives National Accreditation for Outstanding Quality

Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories (ICAEL) Recognizes Memphis Heart Clinic for Commitment to High Quality Patient Care.

MEMPHIS, TN – October 21, 2009 Memphis Heart Clinic announced today that its echocardiography laboratory was recently granted ICAEL accreditation. The laboratory is one of the first one thousand echocardiography laboratories in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico to be so recognized for its dedication to high quality patient care and its provision of high quality diagnostic testing. “The physicians at MHC always strive to provide the best quality diagnostic services to all our patients. ICAEL accreditation reaffirms our commitment to this goal.”, Arsalan Shirwany, MD, FACC, Director of Echocardiography.

Echocardiography is a complex imaging technique used to evaluate the function of the heart muscle and relies on the expertise and training of both the physician and sonographer performing the test. Their interpretive and technical abilities determine the accuracy of an echocardiographic exam. The Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories (ICAEL) developed an accreditation program which evaluates the quality of these and other critical elements of an echocardiography laboratory.

As a Mid-South leader in cardiovascular care, Memphis Heart Clinic physicians have been recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Physician Recognition Program for Heart/Stroke Care, a 3-year recognition awarded for excellence in cardiac care. Memphis Heart Clinic’s nuclear laboratory has also received accreditation from the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Nuclear Medicine Laboratories (ICANL) as one of the US best nuclear medicine laboratories.

About Memphis Heart Clinic

Memphis Heart Clinic is a state-of-the-art cardiovascular center specializing in consultative and interventional cardiology including peripheral vascular intervention and electrophysiology. Established in 1998, Memphis Heart Clinic’s founders, recognized leaders in cardiovascular medicine for over 25 years, joined together to form a cardiology center of excellence. Today, Memphis Heart Clinic’s 16 cardiologists are recognized as innovative leaders in cardiovascular medicine, providing personalized comprehensive care throughout its offices in Memphis, Brighton, Union City, Southaven, Batesville, Holly Springs and Clarksdale, MS.

About (ICAEL)

The ICAEL was established with the support of the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE), the American College of Cardiology (ACC), and the Society of Pediatric Echocardiography (SOPE). The ICAEL provides a peer review mechanism to encourage and recognize the provision of quality echocardiographic diagnostic evaluations by a process of voluntary accreditation. A non- profit organization, the ICAEL is dedicated to ensuring high quality patient care and to promoting health care.

For additional information, please contact Candace Slattery, Memphis Heart Clinic, 901-333-1934 or visit www.memphisheartclinic.com.

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