ACCF Joins SCAI as Partner in Accreditation of Cardiovascular Facilities

August 19, 2010—The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) and the American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) announced an agreement to jointly sponsor the Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence (ACE) organization. Facilities seeking ACE accreditation can obtain more information and complete the application process at www.cvexcel.org.

Founded by SCAI in May 2010, ACE provides a professional review of facilities where invasive cardiac and endovascular procedures are performed and will accredit those that achieve predetermined benchmarks for quality care. Recent studies in Health Affairs and other journals have shown that accreditation improves patient outcomes and promotes progress toward enhanced patient safety standards, the societies stated.

This month, ACE began providing accreditation to hospitals performing carotid artery stenting procedures and plans to expand to programs that perform other cardiovascular procedures, including percutaneous coronary intervention. Multiple carotid artery stenting program applications are already in process.

“SCAI and the ACC share a common commitment to promoting high-quality, evidence-based care for cardiovascular patients,” commented Bonnie Weiner, MD, Chief Medical Officer and Chair of ACE's Board of Directors. “We are very pleased to welcome the ACC as a partner and a sponsor of ACE, and we look forward to working together to ensure that patients continue to receive excellent cardiovascular care.”

ACC President Ralph Brindis, MD, added, “We are thrilled to be a partner on the ACE program and look forward to working with SCAI to advance quality care and provide even better patient outcomes in invasive cardiovascular care facilities across the country.”

According to the societies, ACE is designed to promote and uphold high-quality patient care and improve patient safety in facilities. The organization offers independent evaluation of facilities' processes and objective peer review of outcomes based on established benchmarks derived from scientific evidence in peer-reviewed medical literature and national practice guidelines. Applicants complete a comprehensive application followed by a site visit from ACE's team of expert reviewers who assess the facility itself, its personnel, quality assurance and safety protocols, and patient indications and outcomes.

Programs that achieve full accreditation are recognized by ACE for 2 years, at which time, their facility must be reviewed again for continued recognition. ACE also provides tools and guidance for quality improvement and is committed to helping facilities achieve the highest standards of care.

“ACE allows us to set a benchmark for quality by assessing facilities on an individual, case-by-case basis,” stated SCAI President Larry S. Dean, MD. “The ACE program is a critical element of our continued focus on quality improvement in cardiovascular patient care.”