Accreditation is the action or process of recognizing an individual or organization as having a status or capability to perform a specific activity. Through accreditation, individuals demonstrate their thought leadership, skillset, and commitment to the action.
At the Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Certification Academy™, we believe in the role accreditation has in helping improve global health and setting the standards of excellence in POCUS. Our certificates and certifications provide healthcare professionals the opportunity to highlight their experience, share their knowledge, demonstrate their proficiency, and further promote the best practices in POCUS.
We are not alone in our trust in the value that accreditation and certification opportunities bring to the world. Globally, accreditation serves to bring people together and help our world advance forward. It offers benefits to organizations and individuals alike and extends across every specialty.
In honor of the impact of accreditation on societal well-being, the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) created a global initiative, World Accreditation Day (WAD). Each year on June 9, these organizations, their members, and other organizations come together to drive awareness of the value of accreditation-related activities.
This year, the theme of WAD 2023 is Accreditation: Supporting the Future of Global Trade. This year’s theme focuses on how accreditation supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 14, and 17. These 17 goals were created in 2015 and are at the heart of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a plan designed to help us establish a more sustainable future.
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action, with rich and developing countries recognizing that “ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and address a range of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities while tackling climate change and environmental protection.”
Accessible conformity assessments are one strategy that, especially during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, has proven instrumental in achieving the SDGs and overcoming the challenges they address. Across disciplines, accreditation serves to instill confidence in the safety and reliability of the actions and products guiding us forward.
This drive for innovation, forward-thinking, and global change has always been embedded in our mission at the Point-of-Care Ultrasound Certification Academy™. We believe that the future of ultrasound is portable and provides exceptional results, a belief supported by our fellow healthcare professionals and the patients we serve.
As a small but powerful modality, POCUS enhances the level and speed of care medical workers provide. As a result, its popularity has seen an increase in recent years, and thought-leaders throughout the field have predicted it will become as common as the stethoscope.
Primarily due to its portable and affordable nature, this modality has shattered many limitations that previously restricted the level of care patients in rural and less wealthy areas were able to receive. In turn, it supports the global journey towards achieving the third SDG: ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages. Admittedly, there is still progress to be made. However, together we can accomplish this goal.
COVID-19 has brought the importance of global care even further to the forefront of society’s attention. Doctors, nurses, physician assistants, and all other healthcare professionals have served on the frontline of keeping our world moving forward during this challenging time. In many cases, they utilize modalities such as POCUS to combat the diagnostic process of this disease. Throughout this chapter of our history, it’s notable how conformity assessments have instilled higher confidence levels in medical devices and testing.
During this time, as medical advancements allow us to protect more lives and move closer to controlling this pandemic, it’s important to reflect both on how far we have come and the journey ahead of us.
Through continuing to offer accreditation and certification opportunities, the Point-of-Care Ultrasound Certification Academy™ remains committed to partnering with the healthcare community to strive to provide the highest standards of care around the world. We offer certifications, resources, and engagement opportunities that transcend borders and aim to support impact on a global scale.
If you are interested in joining us on the journey to create change, visit our website to learn more about our Global Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Principles Certification opportunity.
