The joint webinar from Accreditation Canada and the Ontario Association of Cardiologists on December 3^rd delivered a clear, practical update on the Echocardiography Quality Improvement (EQI) Program and what echo laboratories across Ontario should expect as the program moves into its next phase.

Watch the full recording here: OAC–Accreditation Canada EQI Program Update 2025

Leaders from the Echocardiography Quality Improvement (EQI) Program Advisory Panel and program operations outlined recent developments, new accreditation requirements and the timelines that affect adult and pediatric echo services. Speakers included Dr. Tony Sanfilippo (Chair, EQI Advisory Panel), Dr. Mike Hartleib (OAC Board Member and EQI Advisory Panel), Shireen Persaud (EQI Operations Lead, Accreditation Canada Diagnostics) and Tim Holman (Executive Director, OAC). Their combined perspective emphasized program evolution, practical preparedness and sector-wide impact.

Key Updates

• New requirements effective April 1, 2026. The requirements document has moved from the 2021 standards to a revised, more detailed format. It expands from earlier sections to ten requirement areas, clarifies expectations and aligns with legislative obligations for public-facing operations. The new requirements were released in April 2025, with facilities evaluated after April 1, 2026 being assessed against the new requirements. This provides facilities with 12-months lead time to prepare against the new requirements. Facilities scheduled to be assessed before April 1, 2026 will use the 2021 standards.

• Scope and scale. The EQI program now covers roughly 685 registered sites across Ontario, with 579 fully accredited and 106 provisional. The program has completed nearly 1,500 assessments since 2013 and continues to show a high success rate, with positive improvements in report quality and economic impacts tied to more consistent echo practice.

• New non-conformance classifications and reporting. Non-conformances will now be classified as met, minor or major. Major non-conformances indicate safety or diagnostic risk or a failure to implement required processes. The site report and quality improvement plan template have been updated to reflect these changes; facilities should be ready to provide root-cause analyses, corrective actions and documentation.

• Pediatric echo and assessor capacity. Pediatric content and assessor expertise are now included in the requirements and assessor pool. A pediatric pilot ran in 2024; pediatric assessments are scheduled to launch in April 2026 on a voluntary basis. Facilities that provide both adult and pediatric services can expect a tailored approach to assessment, with options to include pediatric evaluation in their next scheduled visit.

Practical Next Steps for Facilities

1. Review the full requirements document in the client portal, QView™, and download the accompanying slide deck. If you are not registered, contact the EQI team to request access.
    
2. Complete an annual review of policies and procedures, and develop or update documents to reflect new requirements (for example, contrast use policies, cyber security, documentation of oversight).
    
3. Plan for changes in non-conformance reporting: prepare templates for root-cause analysis, action plans and evidence submission.
    
4. Consider medical director and technical director oversight arrangements; document virtual and in-person oversight activities as required.
    
5. Register for EQI educational offerings and attend upcoming webinars to help teams prepare.

Strengthening Quality and Safety
 

The updated EQI requirements aim to make echo practice safer and more consistent. For facilities, that translates into clearer expectations, targeted improvement opportunities and stronger protections for patients. For leaders, the new framework provides a path to demonstrate continuous improvement and readiness as program assessments expand.

If you missed the session or want to revisit the details, watch the full recording and consult the client portal, QView™, for resources and upcoming training dates. For further questions, contact the EQI program team by sending an email to eqi@acdiagnostics.ca.