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ST. JOSEPH — Early detection of life-threatening heart disorders, stroke, and other diseases is possible through use of vascular testing procedures performed within hospitals, outpatient centers and physician offices.

Lakeland Heart and Vascular, formerly known as Lakeshore Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, has been granted an additional three-year term of accreditation by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission in vascular testing in the areas of extracranial cerebrovascular testing, peripheral arterial testing, and visceral vascular testing.

Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death in the U.S. On average, one American dies every 39 seconds of cardiovascular disease. Stroke, a disorder of blood supply to the brain, is the third leading cause of death and leading cause of disability in the country, with nearly 800,000 new strokes occurring annually.

“Vascular testing is a critical tool in our ability to provide a timely and accurate cardiac diagnoses,” said Dennis Disch, director of cardiovascular services for Spectrum Health Lakeland. “The IAC accreditation serves a ‘seal of approval’ achieved through a rigorous application and review process. Patients can be confident they are receiving quality cardiac care from a team who is dedicated to continuous improvement.”

Accreditation by IAC indicates that Lakeland Heart and Vascular has undergone an intensive application and review process and is found to be in compliance with the published Standards. Comprised of a detailed self-evaluation followed by a thorough review by a panel of medical experts, the IAC accreditation process enables both the critical operational and technical components to be assessed, including representative case studies and their corresponding final reports.