Greenville, North Carolina – ECU Health Medical Center’s Electrophysiology Laboratory is the first hospital laboratory in North Carolina to be accredited by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) for cardiac electrophysiology testing and ablation, device implantation and left atrial appendage occlusion. IAC accreditation is a “seal of approval” that patients can trust as an indicator of consistent quality care and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Accreditation by the IAC means that ECU Health Medical Center’s electrophysiology lab has undergone a thorough application and review process to be found to comply with published standards and demonstrate a commitment to quality patient care. The IAC accreditation process, which consists of a detailed self-assessment followed by a thorough review by a panel of medical experts, allows for the evaluation of both operational and technical components of the facility, including representative case studies and corresponding final reports.

“ECU Health is committed to setting the national standard for rural health care and high-quality cardiovascular care,” said Jay Briley, president of ECU Health Medical Center. “Achieving IAC accreditation for ECU Health Medical Center’s electrophysiology lab not only underscores our commitment to excellence, but also the unique advantage of being able to provide advanced care in a rural location. This milestone reaffirms our mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina by bringing the latest technology and medical services closer to home.”
Each year, more than one million cardiac device and ablation procedures are performed worldwide to treat heart rhythm disorders. Cardiac electrophysiology procedures are performed at centers that specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of heart rhythm disorders with the goal of relieving symptoms and regulating heart rate and rhythm. Cardiac electrophysiology consists of specialized diagnostic tests and therapeutic procedures performed by highly skilled medical professionals. The training and experience of the cardiac electrophysiology specialists performing the procedures, the type of equipment used, and the quality metrics that each center is required to measure all contribute to positive patient outcomes.
“As a cardiologist and electrophysiologist, I know firsthand how important it is for people living in eastern North Carolina to have high-quality cardiovascular services close to home,” said Dr. John Catanzaro, professor and chair of the Department of Cardiology at East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine and director of the East Carolina Heart Institute at ECU Health Medical Center. “This new accreditation underscores our commitment to providing excellent patient care by adhering to the highest standards of quality and safety. Patients throughout eastern North Carolina can rest easy knowing they are being cared for by the highest quality expertise and staff in the electrophysiology lab at ECU Health Medical Center.”