The American College of Cardiology recently recognized five Hackensack Meridian Health medical centers for their demonstrated expertise and commitment in treating patients who come to a cardiac cath lab for care, including diagnostic catheterizations and percutaneous coronary intervention procedures.
The medical centers were awarded Cardiac Cath Lab Accreditation with PCI based on rigorous onsite evaluation of the staffs’ ability to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients who come to the cardiac cath lab.
Percutaneous coronary intervention is also known as coronary angioplasty. It is a nonsurgical procedure that opens narrowed or blocked coronary arteries with a balloon to relieve symptoms of heart disease or reduce heart damage during or after a heart attack.
The medical centers awarded accreditation include the following.
- Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack;
- Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune;
- JFK University Medical Center in Edison:
- Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank; and
- Ocean University Medical Center in Brick.
“Hackensack Meridian Health has demonstrated its commitment to providing New Jersey with excellent heart care,” Dr. Deepak Bhatt, chair of the ACC accreditation management board, said. “ACC Accreditation Services is proud to award the Hackensack Meridian medical centers with Cardiac Cath Lab Accreditation with PCI.”
Hospitals that have proven exceptional competency in treating patients who require cardiac catheterization have standardized their assessment process for patients before undergoing catheterization to ensure quality and patient safety. They ensure that care in the procedure room for sedation, infection control, radiation safety, universal protocol and time out procedures is fully coordinated; and have mastered the appropriate transfer to a cath recovery unit to better monitor and track complications, enhance physician-to-patient communication, patient family communication, discharge instructions and follow-up information.
“One in three adults live with some form of heart disease, the leading cause of death and disability in our nation,” Elizabeth Maiorana, vice president, cardiovascular care transformation services, Hackensack Meridian Health, said. “As New Jersey’s largest health care network, and with this statistic in mind, we have strived to provide our state’s residents with the highest-quality cardiovascular care. I’m proud of our cardiac cath lab teams for achieving this important accreditation showcasing their excellence.”
Hospitals receiving Cardiac Cath Lab Accreditation with PCI from the ACC must take part in a multi-faceted clinical process that involves: completing a gap analysis; examining variances of care; developing an action plan; a rigorous onsite review; and monitoring for sustained success. Improved methods and strategies of caring for patients include streamlining processes, implementing guidelines and standards and adopting best practices in the care of cath lab patients. Facilities that achieve accreditation meet or exceed an array of stringent criteria and have organized a team of doctors, nurses, clinicians and other administrative staff that earnestly support the efforts leading to improved patient outcomes.
For information about Hackensack Meridian’s cath lab services, click here.
