Only area hospital to receive ACC accreditations, HeartCARE Center designation, EMS Partner in Care achievement
WVU Medicine Camden Clark Medical Center recently earned three-year accreditation from the American College of Cardiology (ACC) in categories including Cardiac Catheterization with PCI and Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI and Resuscitation. In addition to its Cardiac Catheterization and Chest Pain Center Accreditations, Camden Clark received HeartCARE Center and Emergency Medical Services Partner in Care designations from the ACC.
“Camden Clark Medical Center continues to maintain a high-quality cardiac program that provides our community and surrounding areas with optimal outcomes for patients facing cardiovascular disease and cardiac emergencies,” said WVU Medicine Camden Clark Vice President of Medical Affairs, Medical Director of Cath Lab and Cardiac Services, Parkersburg Cardiology Associates President, David Gnegy MD, FACC. “Obtaining multiple re-accreditations for our cardiac programs validates that we are consistently meeting and exceeding the needs of our community.”
WVU Medicine Camden Clark is the only area hospital to receive these prestigious accolades from the ACC, awarded based on accreditation criteria and ongoing performance registry reporting. The ACC accreditation process provides benefits including improved quality outcomes, quicker response times, commitment to higher standards, processes for faster diagnosis and treatment, decreased length of patient stays, among several others.
"We are always striving to follow best practice guidelines to evaluate and improve our cardiac processes. We have a strong cardiac team here at WVU Medicine Camden Clark, where we put our patients first and provide the best care and outcomes,” said WVU Medicine Camden Clark Cardiac Program Coordinator, Terri Ohrn, BART(R), ARRT.
Hospitals receiving Cardiac Cath Lab with PCI and Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI and Resuscitation Accreditations from the ACC must take part in a multi-faceted clinical process including: 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 cardiac 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.
“Attainment of the ACC Chest Pain and Cath Lab Accreditations and HeartCARE Center and EMS Partner in Care designations is a clear demonstration of the excellent clinicians we have at Camden Clark—from our EMS crews, ED providers, cardiologists, hospitalists, nurses, cardiac interventional techs, program coordinators, patient care techs, and educators—it truly takes a dedicated team working in synch to develop and maintain these prestigious outcome driven programs,” said WVU Medicine Camden Clark Director of Cardiovascular Services, Kristina Brooks, DNP, MBOE, RN, AACC, CCRN-K, LSSBB. “The Mid-Ohio Valley is fortunate to have one of the few ACC accredited and designated cardiac programs in the state.”
Percutaneous coronary intervention is also known as coronary angioplasty. It is a non-surgical 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.
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.
Hospitals that have earned ACC Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI and Resuscitation Accreditation have proven exceptional competency in treating patients with heart attack symptoms and have primary PCI available 24/7 every day of the year. As required to meet the criteria of the accreditation designation, they comply with standard Chest Pain Center protocols and are equipped with a robust hypothermia program for post-cardiac arrest treatment. These facilities also maintain a "No Diversion Policy" for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients.
Hospitals receiving the HeartCARE Center designation from the ACC have demonstrated their commitment to consistent, high-quality cardiovascular care through comprehensive process improvement, disease and procedure-specific accreditation, professional excellence, and community engagement. WVU Medicine Camden Clark has proven to be a forward-thinking institution with goals to advance the cause of sustainable quality improvement.
The Camden Clark Ambulance Service was awarded the ACC Emergency Medical Services Partner in Care achievement as a distinguished clinical team member in cardiac care and for its efforts to reduce cardiovascular diseases morbidity and mortality.
“WVU Medicine Camden Clark has demonstrated its commitment to providing the Mid-Ohio Valley with excellent heart care,” said Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, FACC, chair of the ACC Accreditation Management Board. “ACC Accreditation Services is proud to award WVU Medicine Camden Clark with the Cardiac Cath Lab with PCI and Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI and Resuscitation Accreditations, along with the HeartCARE Center and EMS Partner in Care designations.”
In addition to the ACC accreditations, Camden Clark Medical Center has recently received national quality awards for cardiac care from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, U.S. News & World Report, Healthgrades and CareChex.
From left to right, Terri Ohrn, BART(R), ARRT, Cardiac Program Coordinator; Janine Hiles, BSN, RN, Clinical Nurse Manager Cardiac Cath Lab, Stress Lab, Echo Lab, and Device Clinic; Kristina Brooks, DNP, MBOE, AACC, CCRN-K, LSSBB, Director Cardiovascular Services; Shawn Marshall, Paramedic, Manager of Ambulance Services.
