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St. Luke’s University Hospital in Bethlehem is pleased to announce that it recently earned the highest designation of Electrodiagnostic (EDX) Laboratory Accreditation given by the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM) – Laboratory Accreditation with Exemplary Status.

“This recognition at the highest level affirms our ongoing commitment to our patients in providing the highest quality care and safety in our Electrodiagnostic Lab,” said Neurologist Divisha Raheja, MD, of St. Luke’s Neurology Associates, who is the laboratory’s medical director. 

EDX Laboratory Accreditation acknowledges laboratories for maintaining the highest level of quality, performance, and integrity based on AANEM’s professional standards. These standards evaluate diagnostic services and clinical operations essential to providing quality patient care, such as:

• Clinical staff qualifications and continuing education
• Physical facilities
• EDX equipment
• Protocols for performing EDX studies
• Patient reports
• Policies for ensuring the health and safety of every patient

“We commend St. Luke’s for making the commitment to becoming accredited. Taking this step demonstrates their dedication to ensuring patients are receiving the best possible care,” said Shirlyn A. Adkins, JD, AANEM Executive Director.

Laboratory Accreditation with Exemplary Status is the highest level of accreditation an EDX laboratory can achieve through the AANEM. In order to achieve this status, physicians performing studies in the laboratory must meet the following criteria:

• Completion of a neurology or physical medicine and rehabilitation residency program

• Completion of a minimum of three months of training in EDX medicine as part of a residency or fellowship program

In addition to the requirements listed above, the Lab Medical Director(s) must be certified by the American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine (ABEM), or the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) in clinical neurophysiology, or the ABPN/American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in neuromuscular disease.

The AANEM has accredited more than 300 main electrodiagnostic laboratories and satellite locations since 2011. For more information about the AANEM EDX Laboratory Accreditation program, visit http://www.aanem.org/Practice/EDX-Laboratory-Accreditation.aspx.

About the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM)

Based in Rochester, Minnesota, the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM) is the premier nonprofit membership association dedicated to the advancement of neuromuscular (NM), musculoskeletal and electrodiagnostic (EDX) medicine. The organization and its members work to improve the quality of patient care and advance the science of NM diseases and EDX medicine by serving physicians and allied health professionals who care for those with muscle and nerve disorders. For more information about AANEM, visit aanem.org or find AANEM on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.