AIUM ultrasound practice accreditation is a voluntary peer review process that allows practices to demonstrate that they meet or exceed nationally recognized standards in the performance and interpretation of diagnostic ultrasound examinations. The accreditation process encourages providers of diagnostic ultrasound services to assess their strengths and weaknesses and initiate changes to improve their practices.

Practices accredited by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) have demonstrated competency in every aspect of their operation, including:

• Personnel Education, Training, and Experience

• Document Storage and Record Keeping

• Policies and Procedures Safeguarding Patients, Ultrasound Personnel, and Equipment

• Instrumentation

• Quality Assurance

• Case Studies

• Exhibit your commitment to clinical excellence.

• Display your commitment to the highest quality patient care.

• Provide credibility to peers and patients.

• Demonstrate that your practice meets the quality assurance requirements of a growing number of insurance companies.

• Meet the requirements of a growing number of insurers.

• Your competitors are accredited... why not you?

The AIUM ultrasound practice accreditation review process begins once you have submitted the online application, payment, two signed copies of the accreditation agreement, your case studies, and supporting documents.

What happens next?

• The AIUM will also sign the accreditation agreement, and one copy will be sent back to the practice for your HIPAA records.

• The cases will be evaluated and scored by two reviewers, and, if their scores don't agree, by a third reviewer as well.

• AIUM Accreditation Department staff review the online portion of the application and the supporting documentation.

• When the cases and documentation have been reviewed, the results will be summarized in a findings letter, which will include a detailed report on each of your case study submissions and identify any areas that need clarification or modification.

  • Most practices will be asked to respond in writing within 30 days of the postmarked date of the findings letter.

  • A very few practices will be told that their applications will be scheduled for review by the Ultrasound Practice Accreditation Council, and no reply is necessary.

• At one of its monthly meetings, the Ultrasound Practice Accreditation Council will decide whether to grant accreditation based on the the information in your application and the additional information provided in your response to the findings letter.

• Practices that are awarded accreditation will be notified in writing and will receive a certificate at a later date.

Please review our FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS. If your question still cannot be answered, please e-mail us at accreditation@aium.org. We will do our best to respond by the next business day.

Step 1. Review the case study submission requirements and other documents relevant to the specialties in which your practice seeks accreditation. The AIUM offers accreditation of the following specialties:

• Abdominal/General Ultrasound

• Breast Ultrasound (Diagnostic or Interventional)

• Dedicated Musculoskeletal Ultrasound

• Dedicated Thyroid/Parathyroid Ultrasound

• Fetal Echocardiography

• Gynecologic Ultrasound

• Obstetric or Trimester-Specific Obstetric Ultrasound

• Urologic Ultrasound

Step 2. Assemble the following information/documents and have them easily accessible when completing the online application:

• List of all interpreting physicians, their certificates from residency or fellowship, board certifications, and/or ultrasound certifications, and current licenses

• List of all sonographers and any other non-physicians who perform ultrasound, their ultrasound training, and current ARDMS or ARRT cards

• List of each ultrasound machine's make, model, the year it was acquired, the serial number, and its preventive maintenance records

• Policies, procedures, and ultrasound examination protocols

Step 3. Begin to enter information in the online application. All required text fields must be completed before a section can be saved. These fields can be revised and edited until the Submit button is clicked.

Free Webinar — How To Apply For AIUM Ultrasound Practice Accreditation, Part 1: Everything You Need To Know About The Online Application

Step 4. Once you have reviewed the application for completeness, you will be directed to the Payment Form. Do not click the Submit button before your case studies and supporting documents are ready for submission. The Accreditation Department must receive all of the following within one week. Until we receive these, the application is not complete, and no review can begin:

• Two signed copies of the Accreditation Agreement

• Payment (if paying by check) View Fee Schedule

• Three copies of the required case studies and corresponding reports

  Free Webinar — How To Apply For AIUM Ultrasound Practice Accreditation, Part 2: Case Study Submissions

• Physicians' licenses, certificates from residency or fellowship, and, if applicable, ultrasound certification

• Sonographers' current registry cards

• The most recent preventive maintenance report for each machine

• Initialed and signed checklist

The above should be sent to:
AIUM Accreditation Department
14750 Sweitzer Lane, Suite 100
Laurel, MD 20707-5906

Step 5. When the documents and case studies have been reviewed, the practice will be sent a letter summarizing the reviewers' findings, including reports on each case study submission. The practice will be given the opportunity to provide clarification, make corrections, and, if necessary, submit new case studies. Once we receive the practice's response to the findings letter, the application will be presented to the AIUM Ultrasound Practice Accreditation Council for a decision.