Tamara A. Sloper
The Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) recognizes and honors the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) as the first mobile stroke unit in the world to achieve IAC Computed Tomography (CT) accreditation. A 3-year accreditation in the areas of neurological CT/acute stroke and vascular CT angiography was awarded to the UTHSC mobile stroke unit in May 2018.
The UTHSC mobile stroke unit serves the community by reducing the time to diagnose and manage patients presenting with symptoms of acute stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic) or transient ischemic attack, improving the odds of recovery from stroke, the fifth leading cause of death and the number 1 cause of permanent disability in adults in the United States. Since its inception in 2016, the UTHSC mobile stroke unit has responded to 911 calls for patients presenting with stroke symptoms an average of 4–5 times per day in the Memphis area. Through this innovation, the unit is able to administer appropriate treatment an average of 72 minutes faster than traditional hospital response, dramatically improving the odds of recovery from stroke.
The stroke chain of survival is heavily dependent on rapid access to high-resolution CT scanning, with CT angiography acquisition of the aortic arch, carotid arteries, and brain vasculature to accurately diagnose candidates for reperfusion imaging, including thrombectomy. Therefore, it is critical that the many factors that contribute to an accurate diagnosis based on CT imaging be in place and validated in both fixed and mobile settings. IAC accreditation provides a thorough review by a panel of medical experts to assess all aspects of the facility, including the training and experience of both the operator performing the procedure and the interpreting physician, the type of CT equipment used, and adherence to radiation dose guidelines and required quality assessment metrics, each of which contributes to a positive patient outcome.
To earn IAC CT accreditation, the UTHSC mobile stroke unit underwent an intensive application and review process and was found to be in compliance with the published standards, thus demonstrating a commitment to quality patient care in CT imaging. IAC accreditation is a seal of approval that patients can rely on as an indicator of consistent quality care and dedication to continuous improvement.
“Our innovative conversion of a truck originally designed as a mobile CT laboratory to a mobile stroke unit created an opportunity to bring the best care immediately to acute stroke patients in the field. We chose to pursue IAC CT accreditation to demonstrate the excellence of our mobile stroke unit CT and CT angiography operation. IAC CT accreditation assures the public that we are providing them with high-quality imaging during this vulnerable and frightening acute stroke event,” said Andrei V. Alexandrov, MD, RVT, chairman of the Department of Neurology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and Semmes-Murphey professor.
“The IAC is honored to award CT accreditation to the UTHSC mobile stroke unit in recognition of the expertise of the unit’s staff and the integrity of the CT unit as it relates to the safety of the patients and staff and the quality of the images. The UTHSC team has set the bar high for all other facilities that provide mobile CT stroke services,” said Mary Lally, MS, CAE, IAC CEO.
To read more and watch a video showcasing the recognition of UTHSC’s achievement, visit https://www.intersocietal.org/ct/UTHSC.htm.
Jump to section
Related Articles
Cited By...
- No citing articles found.