Monongahela Valley Hospital’s Echocardiology Laboratory achieved accreditation by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories (ICAEL). The laboratory was recognized for its commitment to quality patient care and its provision of quality diagnostic testing.

The Acceditation, granted in the disciplines of Transthoracic Echocardiography and Transesophogeal Echocardiography, is valid for three years and the rigorous accreditation process took two years to complete. The Medical Director of the Echocardiology Laboratory is Simon Chough, M.D. and the Technical Director is Diane Hester RN, BSN.

One American dies every 32 seconds of cardiovascular disease, disorders of the heart and blood vessels and cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Cardiac structure and flow information provided by echocardiographic testing is useful in the detection and management of many types of heart disease. Echocardiography is a complex imaging technique that relies on the experience and training of both the physician and sonographer. Their interpretive and technical abilities determine the diagnostic accuracy of an echocardiographic examination.

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) to provide 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.

Participation in the accreditation process is voluntary. Accreditation status signifies that the facility has been reviewed by an independent agency which recognizes the laboratory's commitment to quality testing for the diagnosis of heart disease.