News Release

UPMC NORTHWEST SHINES IN ULTRASOUND SURVEY
Near-perfect scores help hospital achieve three-year reaccreditation

March 31, 2004 — UPMC Northwest has earned a mark of excellence for its ultrasound services after a near-perfect showing during its latest accreditation survey.

The hospital’s ultrasound scores far exceeded those needed for reaccreditation, and the American College of Radiology (ACR) extended its ultrasound accreditation for three more years.

UPMC Northwest achieved a perfect score of 100 percent on 12 obstetrical, general, vascular, and gynecological exams, and scored 96 percent or better on the remaining four studies, earning an almost perfect overall score of 99.49 percent. That’s far beyond the 85 percent that is required on each exam for reaccreditation.

“Our scores were unbelievable,” says Imaging Services manager Dawn Cherry. “They were almost perfect. What we did is almost unheard of.”

Ms. Cherry says the credit for this achievement goes to UPMC Northwest’s well-credentialed ultrasound techs “who made this happen with their scanning excellence.” The hospital’s four certified ultrasonographers are senior tech Kim McCutcheon and Jennifer Armstrong, Mindy Cresswell, and Kim Dougherty.

In addition to its ultrasound accreditation, UPMC Northwest’s Imaging Services department holds three other accreditations for its mammography, MRI, and stereotactic breast biopsy services. Four imaging accreditations is an exceptional achievement that few hospitals can claim, Ms. Cherry says.