Northwestern Medical Center receives 
accreditation in computed tomography

Northwestern Medical Center’s Diagnostic Imaging Department recently received ACR accreditation for its Computed Tomography program --- a medical imaging procedure that uses computer-processed X-rays to produce tomographic images or 'slices' of specific areas of the body. This adds to the DI departments accreditations already received in Mammography and Ultrasound.
Lead CT Technologist, Bridget Thompson, headed up the effort and worked tirelessly to assure that all standards required by the ACR were met in full and in some cases, exceeded the standards set by the ACR. "By electively obtaining ACR Accreditation for our CT Department at NMC, we are able to reassure the community that we are committed to providing the best patient care and image quality possible. It was especially important for us to show the community our commitment and dedication to this specific modality. Its use is on the rise, and earning the accreditation shows that we are doing everything possible to keep radiation exposure levels at a minimum without compromising image quality," says Thompson.
Interim Diagnostic Imaging Supervisor, Erica Finnegan, added, ‘Acquiring the ACR CT accreditation was a great accomplishment for our staff and for NMC. There was a lot of hard work and persistence from staff and our CT Lead, Bridget, to meet the standards of ACR. We know now that our facility meets or exceeds quality assurance and safety guidelines.’
The ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety. It is awarded only to facilities meeting ACR Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards after a peer-review evaluation by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. Image quality, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control procedures, and quality assurance programs are assessed. The findings are reported to the ACR Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice with a comprehensive report they can use for continuous practice improvement.
Northwestern Medical Center is a vibrant, not-for-profit, community hospital, located in St. Albans, Vermont. For more information about NMC, please visit www.NorthwesternMedicalCenter.org.