First, echocardiography as now widely practiced in hospital emergency departments by personnel without adequate training exposes patients to avoidable life-threatening harm because of treatment errors resulting from erroneous echocardiographic performance or interpretation. 4 Third, there is evidence of avoidable harm to patients when physicians who perform transesophageal echocardiography during cardiac surgery do not have extensive training in the procedure. There is ample evidence that rigorous specialized training is essential to correct a serious system defect. Rigorous follow-up proficiency examinations would permit demonstration of competency. Organization to optimally utilize professional competencies is important.
Quality control has various essential components of which reporting is only one.
Helen M. Hunt, MA Princeton, NJ 1. Stewart WJ, Douglas PS, Sagar K, et al. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. Stanger P, Silverman NH, Foster E. Diagnostic accuracy of pediatric echocardiograms performed in adult laboratories. Am J Cardiol.