West Kendall Baptist Hospital has received recognition from the American College of Radiology (ACR) for its outstanding diagnostic imaging efficiency, safety and high-quality patient care. The hospital is the first in South Florida, and among the first in the nation, to earn ACR’s Diagnostic Imaging Center of Excellence designation.

“We have invested heavily in imaging technology and staffing over the past four years, always with the goal of improving the patient and family experience,” said Chief Executive Officer Javier Hernández-Lichtl. “Recognition as an Imaging Center of Excellence shows that we have achieved that delicate balance of ‘high tech and high touch.’”

“This designation is an incredible achievement, and we celebrate with our entire imaging department, as well as our administrators and all those involved in our hospital-wide performance improvement initiatives,” said Medical Director of Imaging Stephane Lafosse-Marin, M.D. “To meet and surpass these rigorous national benchmarks speaks volumes about the exceptional quality of our imaging team. Referring physicians, insurers, the government and others in the healthcare continuum are looking for top-quality imaging providers, and we have exceeded the standard.”

ACR’s Centers of Excellence program, introduced in 2013, provides a comprehensive assessment of participating medical imaging facilities, including department structure and patient outcomes. It offers facilities an ongoing process for self-assessment and distinguishes recognized facilities to providers, payers, patients and administrators. The designation is valid for three years.

To earn recognition as a Diagnostic Imaging Center of Excellence, an imaging facility must achieve ACR accreditation in all imaging methods for which ACR accreditation is offered. The facility must participate in ACR’s Dose Index Registry and General Radiology Improvement Database, two important initiatives that collect and aggregate testing results from imaging facilities in order to establish quality improvement benchmarks. An on-site ACR survey team also reviews all aspects of the facility’s operations, including, personnel, equipment specifications, outcomes measurement and quality control systems, safety policies, utilization reviews, facility management and patient outcomes.

About West Kendall Baptist Hospital
West Kendall Baptist Hospital, part of the not-for-profit Baptist Health South Florida family, is a LEED Gold Certified, patient- and family-centered facility serving one of South Florida’s most vibrant and fast-growing communities. West Kendall Baptist Hospital is home to an accredited family medicine residency program through its affiliation with Florida International University’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. To learn more, please visit WestKendallBaptistHospital.com.

About the American College of Radiology

The American College of Radiology (ACR) represents more than 37,000 diagnostic radiologists, radiation oncologists, interventional radiologists, nuclear medicine physicians and medical physicists. Its core functional areas — advocacy, economics, education, quality and safety, research, and membership value — are improving, promoting, and protecting the practice of radiology. Through its Imaging 3.0™ initiative, ACR is leading the transition to value-based radiological treatment and care.

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