• ACE in the News

     
     
     
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    11/11/2015

    Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence (ACE) Reaccredits Lawrence General Hospital

    ACE Supports ACC/AHA/SCAI Focused Update on Primary PCI

    Washington, DC (PRWEB) November 11, 2015

    Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence (ACE) today announced that Lawrence (MA) General Hospital (LGH) has achieved ACE reaccreditation for its cardiac catheterization and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) facilities. The distinction further validates the quality of cardiac care delivered at LGH. In June 2013, LGH was the first hospital in New England to achieve ACE accreditation.

    “As a community hospital that performs PCI without on-site cardiac surgery, we highly value the imprimatur of ACE reaccreditation, which shows that we have consistently maintained the quality of care at LGH,” commented Kathy Caredeo, Director of Cardiovascular Services at Lawrence General Hospital. “We are in the arena with nationally-recognized hospitals and research centers in Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts. ACE accreditation put us on the map two years ago, and reaccreditation sends a clear message that LGH patients can get quality care right at home.”

    ACE reaccredited LGH after a rigorous review of quality processes at the hospital. The review, conducted by ACE’s team of experienced cardiologists, focused on factors such as risk mitigation, process variability, and adherence to standards for documentation and reporting. “For both the initial ACE accreditation and the reaccreditation, the quality review was a collaborative process, with ACE expert reviewers working with us as partners in quality improvement,” Ms. Caredeo commented. “We are extremely proud to have received ACE reaccreditation, a distinction that helps us stand out in the highly competitive New England market, where all hospitals that provide PCI are under intense scrutiny in terms complying with quality standards.”

    ACE also announces its support of the 2015 Focused Update on Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction, a joint publication of the American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American Heart Association (AHA), and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI). The report updates joint guidelines issued in 2011 and 2013 by the ACC Foundation (ACCF), the AHA, and SCAI.

    "The 2015 Focused Update provides important guidance for improving the quality of cardiac care in patients with STEMI,” noted Bonnie H. Weiner, M.D., MSEC, MBA, MSCAI, ACE CMO, and director of interventional cardiology research at Saint Vincent Hospital at Worcester Medical Center in Worcester, MA. “We are very pleased to see the ACC, AHA, and SCAI provide clarification on the use of PCI in this patient population, based on a thorough review of the literature. The Focused Update aligns with our commitment to the highest standards of cardiovascular care, and to providing guidance to practicing cardiologists based on the strength of clinical evidence."

    About Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence (ACE)

    ACE is an independent organization sponsored by the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI). ACE offers independent evaluation and monitoring of facilities that provide cardiovascular care. By reviewing facility and operator performance and comparing clinical decision-making to nationally accepted best practices; ACE quality review and accreditation services play a critical role in continuous quality improvement programs. Learn more at http://www.cvexcel.org.