ROANOKE, Va. (Dec. 20, 2011) – Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital (CRMH) recently received accreditation for percutaneous coronary intervention and cardiac catheterization by Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence (ACE). ACE is a new accreditation organization sponsored by the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions and the American College of Cardiology. CRMH is the third facility in the nation to receive accreditation by this organization.
ACE accreditation is a professional review of an organization’s structure, internal processes, patient safety practices, and clinical outcomes to determine if it meets the standards established by experts in cardiac and endovascular care.
“CRMH was asked to be a pilot facility for these new accreditations and we are so pleased to be recognized,” explains Cindy Smith, program operations director for cardiothoracic and vascular services at Carilion Clinic. “The accreditation process is very thorough and all the data ACE collected from us is measured against nationally-accepted standards for the highest-quality cardiovascular care.”
ACE is committed to helping facilities that deliver interventional cardiovascular care to provide gold standard healthcare by measuring the facility’s practices, personnel, processes and outcomes against nationally-accepted best-practice standards. Implemented to supplement existing quality-improvement programs, the ACE outcomes-based accreditation promotes uniform benchmarks, and improves appropriate utilization via an independent, third-party evaluation of facilities and practices.
“We congratulate Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for seeking and obtaining ACE cardiac catheterization and percutaneous coronary intervention accreditations,” said ACE Chief Medical Officer Bonnie Weiner, M.D. “By submitting to a rigorous, independent evaluation, this facility has shown an uncompromising commitment to provide safe, high quality care.”
The ACE evaluation process involves an in-depth independent review of personnel, quality-assurance processes, facility equipment, and outcomes information. Facilities who undergo this voluntary and rigorous process demonstrate an exceptional commitment to providing the best possible care to patients.
About Carilion Clinic
Carilion Clinic is a not-for-profit healthcare organization serving nearly one million people in Virginia through hospitals, outpatient specialty centers and advanced primary care practices. Led by multi-specialty physician teams with a shared philosophy that puts the patient first, Carilion is committed to improving outcomes for every patient while advancing the quality of care through medical education and research. For more information visit www.carilionclinic.org/about.