Clearfield Hospital’s Nuclear Medicine Department was recently granted accreditation by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Nuclear Medicine Laboratories.
Staff members include, from left, Shelley States, certified nuclear medicine technologist; Tammy Stucke, CNMT, nuclear cardiology technologist and registered technologist for nuclear medicine; Kerri Hallinan, nuclear medicine student; and Christina Belinda, CNMT, NCT, and registered technologist for radiology and nuclear medicine.
The laboratory is one of the first hospital nuclear medicine laboratories in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico to be so recognized for its commitment to high quality patient care and its provision of quality diagnostic testing.
Participation in the accreditation process is voluntary. According to the ICANL, accreditation status signifies that the hospital’s nuclear medicine department has been reviewed by an independent agency that recognizes the department’s commitment to quality testing. It also verifies the competence of the staff.
“The accreditation process is a time consuming process. Months of preparation and planning are required to complete the application. Fortunately, the years of experience and diligence of our technologists’ record keeping eased the preparation process,” stated Richard G. Williams, M.D., medical director and radiation safety officer.
He continued, “This accreditation reaffirms our commitment to quality patient care. Our technologists are commended for a job well done.”
Nuclear Medicine at Clearfield Hospital
Thousands of Nuclear Medicine Imaging procedures are performed at Clearfield Hospital each year. The imaging procedure is used to diagnose and even treat disease. Nuclear medicine tests evaluate bone pain to assess for orthopedic injury; analyze kidney and bladder function; scan the lungs to evaluate for blood clots; image the liver and gallbladder to diagnose abnormal function or blockage; and scanning of the thyroid can identify hyperthyroidism.
Clearfield Hospital’s Nuclear Medicine Department staff includes Supervisor Tammy Stucke, certified nuclear medicine technologist, nuclear cardiology technologist, registered technologist for nuclear medicine; Christina Belinda, CNMT, NCT, and registered technologist for radiology and nuclear medicine; and Shelley States, CNMT. Together, they bring 30 years of experience to the department.
Kerri Hallinan is completing her clinical training in Nuclear Medicine Technology. Ms. Hallinan will receive her Bachelor of Science degree in Nuclear Medicine from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Her certification program is in conjunction with The University of Findlay’s Nuclear Medicine Institute in Findlay, Ohio.
About the Commission
The Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Nuclear Medicine Laboratories (ICANL) was established with the support of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, the Society of Nuclear Medicine, the Society of Nuclear Medicine Technologist Section, the American College of Cardiology, the American College of Nuclear Physicians and the Academy of Molecular Imaging.
A non-profit organization, the ICANL is dedicated to ensuring high quality patient care and to promoting health care.