What does it mean to be a Chest Pain Center?
Accredited Chest Pain Centers must meet or exceed ACC’s strict criteria and participate in a rigorous on-site evaluation that gauges a hospital’s ability and preparedness to evaluate, diagnose and determine the best treatment for patients experiencing chest pain.
Along with an on-site evaluation, hospitals also must participate in a comprehensive clinical process that involves:
- Assessing if benchmarks are being met
- Examining standardized care practices and if variances exist
- Developing an action plan
- Monitoring for sustained success
- Having an on-site expert to assist with continuous improvement and education
Accredited hospitals must have an organized team of doctors, nurses, clinicians and other administrative staff who support efforts leading to better patient education and improved patient outcomes.
“The care of a patient with chest pain or acute coronary syndrome (ACS) requires coordination among the emergency departments, the transfer center, on-call cardiologists and their support team as well as EMS services,” says Eric Elgin, MD, Chief of Cardiology, Lehigh Valley Heart and Vascular Institute. “One marker of successful integration of services across Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) for these patients is Chest Pain Center Accreditation. This achievement is a recognition of hospital and health network implementation of best practices to optimize and improve patient outcomes. More importantly, this allows a framework for continued quality improvement efforts as our treatments evolve and improve.”