Providing nationally accredited cardiology care right here at home.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the United States. On average, one American dies every 34 seconds of cardiovascular disease – disorders of the heart and blood vessels. Stroke, a disorder of the blood supply to the brain, is the leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability in the country, with nearly 800,000 strokes occurring annually.

Early detection of life-threatening heart disorders, stroke, and other diseases is possible using vascular testing procedures in hospitals, outpatient centers, and physicians’ offices. Echocardiography is used to assess different areas of the heart and can detect heart disease or signs of serious conditions.

Many factors contribute to an accurate diagnosis based on vascular testing and echocardiography. The training and experience of the technologist and sonographer performing the procedure, the type of equipment used, and the quality assessment metrics each facility must measure all contribute to a positive patient outcome.

Augusta Health is happy to announce that Augusta Health Heart & Vascular program received reaccreditation from the Intersociety Accreditation Commission (IAC) for Echocardiography and Vascular Testing. IAC accreditation is a “seal of approval” that patients can rely on to indicate consistent quality care and a commitment to continuous improvement. Accreditation by the IAC indicates that Augusta Health Cardiovascular Services has undergone an intensive application and review process and is found to comply with the published standards, thus demonstrating a commitment to quality patient care in vascular testing.

Augusta Health is proud to share that Dr. Brammer was the first in Virginia to insert the LUX-Dx II+ Insertable Cardiac Monitor (ICM) System, a new, long-term monitoring device inserted in patients to detect arrhythmias associated with conditions such as atrial fibrillation (AF), cryptogenic stroke and syncope. The incidence of AF continues to rise, and providing accurate monitoring data and having remote access to programming allows our physicians to spend more time focusing on patient outcomes and will reduce the number of in-person appointments patients need to make. Patients now have early access to advanced cardiac technology here at Augusta Health.

For more information about Augusta Health Heart and Vascular Services, please visit augustahealth.com/service/heart-vascular.