Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center Recognized for Excellence with ACC HeartCARE Center Designation

HOUSTON (May 18, 2020) – The American College of Cardiology (ACC) has recognized Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center for its demonstrated commitment to comprehensive, high-quality culture and cardiovascular care. Baylor St. Luke’s was awarded the HeartCARE Center National Distinction of Excellence in May 2020 based on meeting accreditation criteria, and through their ongoing performance registry reporting.

Hospitals and health systems that have earned an ACC HeartCARE Center designation have met a set of criteria, including participating in at least two ACC Accreditation Services programs, NCDR registries and targeted quality improvement campaigns, such as Patient Navigator Program: Focus MI, that are designed to help hospitals and institutions close gaps in guideline-based care. Baylor St. Luke’s was previously awarded Cardiac Cath Lab and Electrophysiology accreditations by ACC Accreditation Services. Baylor St. Luke’s also participates in the following NCDR registries: CathPCI, Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD), Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion (LAAO), AFib Ablation, Chest Pain, and Peripheral Vascular Intervention (PVI). Baylor St. Luke’s also participates in the STS/ACC Adult Cardiac Surgery Database (ACSD) and the STS/ACC Transcatheter Valve Therapy (TVT) registry.

With this new designation, hospitals and health systems can now showcase their elite status and publicly highlight their outstanding commitment to quality for their patients, providers and other stakeholders.

“Baylor St. Luke’s has demonstrated its commitment to providing the Greater Houston community with excellent heart care,” said Phillip D. Levy, MD, FACC, chair of the ACC Accreditation Management Board. “ACC Accreditation Services is proud to award Baylor St. Luke’s with the HeartCARE Center designation.”

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. Baylor St. Luke’s has proven to be a forward-thinking institution with goals to advance the cause of sustainable quality improvement.

“We are very proud to be the first center in Houston recognized as a HeartCare Center of Excellence, a tribute to our commitment to quality,” said Dr. Juan Carlos Plana, Chief of the Cardiovascular Service Line at Baylor St. Luke’s. “I’m proud of our expert team for their dedicated focus and commitment and for making continuous improvement possible.”

As one of the nation’s largest cardiovascular centers, Texas Heart® Institute at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center continues to pave the way for best practices and advancements in the fields of cardiology and cardiovascular surgery. From the first successful heart transplantation in the U.S. and the first implantation of an artificial heart in man in the world to breakthroughs in the treatment of patients with the most complex conditions, we have established our hospital as a true center of excellence in the fields of cardiology and cardiac surgery. Baylor St. Luke’s ranked nationally in four adult specialties according to U.S. News & World Report, including Cardiology and Heart Surgery, in partnership with the Texas Heart Institute. (Ranked number 21 in the nation).

The ACC offers U.S. and international hospitals like Baylor St. Luke’s access to a comprehensive suite of cardiac accreditation services designed to optimize patient outcomes and improve hospital financial performance. These services are focused on all aspects of cardiac care.

About Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center
Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center is an 881-bed quaternary care academic medical center that is a joint venture between Baylor College of Medicine and St. Luke’s Health. Located in the Texas Medical Center, the hospital is the home of the Texas Heart® Institute, a cardiovascular research and education institution founded in 1962 by Denton A. Cooley, MD. The hospital was the first facility in Texas and the Southwest designated a Magnet® hospital for Nursing Excellence by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, receiving the award five consecutive times. Baylor St. Luke’s also has three community emergency centers offering adult and pediatric care for the Greater Houston area.

About the American College of Cardiology
The American College of Cardiology envisions a world where innovation and knowledge optimize cardiovascular care and outcomes. As the professional home for the entire cardiovascular care team, the mission of the College and its more than 52,000 members is to transform cardiovascular care and to improve heart health. The ACC bestows credentials upon cardiovascular professionals who meet stringent qualifications and leads in the formation of health policy, standards and guidelines. The College also provides professional medical education, disseminates cardiovascular research through its world-renowned JACC Journals, operates national registries to measure and improve care, and offers cardiovascular accreditation to hospitals and institutions. For more, visit acc.org.

For more information about ACC Accreditation Services, visit accreditation.acc.org, or call toll-free 1-877-271-4176.

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