Laura Jarram, Senior Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (DCS) knows that every image she captures could change a life. As a DCS (Echocardiology Technologist), she performs ultrasounds of the heart—called adult transthoracic echocardiograms—scans done across the chest to help diagnose serious cardiac conditions.
For her and her team, Echo Accreditation is more than a check in a box. While Accreditation Canada evaluates the hospital as a whole, Echo Accreditation focuses solely on echocardiography.
“I’m very proud to be working at a hospital that’s committed to safe, quality care for our patients,” Laura says.
This rigorous review audits all of the hospital’s policies, procedures, and practices for adult echocardiograms. At CMH, it’s the only type currently offered—for now.
Laura has been training with regional partners to perform stress echocardiograms—an ultrasound of the heart during exercise. She’s the first technologist from CMH to do this, and the hope is that others will follow.
“The addition of this service is an important step forward,” says Kim Rose, Manager of Diagnostic Imaging & Diagnostic Cardiology Services. “We’ll be able to diagnose more complex issues earlier—making all the difference for our patients.”
Accreditation requires that a certain volume of scans be completed regularly to maintain staff competency. Every scan is more than data—it’s someone’s future. Accreditation ensures hospitals never lose sight of that, reinforcing that precision, practice and compassion go hand-in-hand.
Heart disease remains the second leading cause of death in Canada, claiming over 50,000 lives each year. For Laura and her team, every scan catches a glimpse into a problem early, giving someone peace of mind, and starts them on the path to recovery.
“We’re ready to grow to meet the evolving needs of the community,” says Kim. “—this Accreditation confirms our ability to excel at doing that.”
Echo Accreditation ensures quality and standards – it is valid for three (3) years for this type of echocardiogram assessment.