Mercy’s Nuclear Medicine Program Reaccredited

SPRINGFIELD — Mercy Medical Center has been awarded a three-year term of re-accreditation in Nuclear Medicine as the result of a recent survey by the American College of Radiology (ACR), making it one of only two such programs in Western Mass. to achieve this distinction.

The ACR awards accreditation to facilities for the achievement of high practice standards after a peer-review evaluation of the practice by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. After assessing the qualifications of the personnel and the adequacy of facility equipment, the surveyors report their findings to the ACR’s Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice with a comprehensive report.

“The ACR reaccreditation is indicative of Mercy Medical Center’s comprehensive commitment to providing our patients with high quality care. By voluntarily submitting to the ACR’s rigorous review process, Mercy has gained independent confirmation that our Nuclear Medicine department and staff meet or exceed quality assurance and safety guidelines,” said Dr. Jayson St. Jacques, section chief.

Nuclear medicine is a branch of medical imaging that uses small amounts of radioactive material to examine organ function and structure, as a means to diagnose or treat a variety of diseases, including many types of cancers, heart disease, and certain other abnormalities within the body. Nuclear medicine imaging scans typically allow physicians to analyze kidney function, visualize heart blood flow, scan lungs for respiratory problems, and determine the presence or spread of cancer in various parts of the body.

The ACR is a national organization focusing on the practice of medical imaging and radiation oncology and the delivery of comprehensive health care services.