May 16, 2009

Renfrew Victoria Hospital earns full accreditation in bone mineral density testing

Renfrew Victoria Hospital’s diagnostic imaging department has achieved a prestigious three-year professional accreditation for its bone mineral density (BMD) testing program from the Ontario Association of Radiologists.

“This verifies that RVH is a centre of excellence for bone mineral density,” states Dr. David Lyons, medical director of the hospital’s diagnostic imaging services.

“It really is at this time the gold standard of accreditation in the world. To achieve it, we need to implement and maintain specific standards that ensure proper equipment performance and a high level of skill by staff to optimize the performance of DXA (Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) scans through the application of accepted quality assurance and quality control protocols.”

In fact, RVH is one of only 25 hospitals and independent health facility clinics in all of Ontario that have achieved the professional designation.

“This level of accreditation speaks volumes about our diagnostic imaging department,” comments RVH CEO Randy Penney. “They have met the national standard, and our patients can depend on their professionalism and precision.”

The new provincial accreditation program has received strong support from the Ontario Osteoporosis Strategy. Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by low bone mass and deterioration of bone tissue, causing bones to become weak and thin and increasing the risk of fracture.

BMD testing using DXA scans plays an essential role in assessing a patient’s bone mass. Osteoporosis Canada recommends that all post-menopausal women and men over 50 be assessed for risk factors for osteoporosis. Where clinical indications of bone weakness are present, even in younger patients, BMD testing is the recommended course of action.

Patients who have any concerns about the strength and health of their bones are encouraged to discuss this option with their family physician.

The accreditation program RVH underwent was recently developed by the Ontario Association of Radiologists to replace a national system that had not been widely adopted.

“Renfrew was one of the few centres that had been accredited by the Canadian Association of Radiologists,” says Dr. Lyons, who was an active participant on the provincial team that developed the new accreditation program.

“Our professional community needed uniform quality standards to ensure consistent high-level care,” he says. “This BMD accreditation program, like mammography accreditation, is all about the patient. We want to be sure that the patient gets a high quality examination, and that the referring physician can depend on the results.”

The accreditation process scrutinizes the accuracy of the equipment used for bone mineral density testing, as well as the skills, education and practices of the technologists and physicians who deliver the program.

Dr. Lyons explains that the precision of BMD tests is crucial.

“If they’re not extremely accurate in terms of monitoring any changes, they can do more harm than good,” he notes. “We have confirmed that we are meeting the highest accuracy levels.”

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(For more information, contact RVH CEO Randy Penney, 613-432-4851, ext. 260.)