CHI St. Vincent and North Receive ACE Accreditation for Cardiac Catherization

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary in Little Rock, Ark. and CHI St. Vincent North in Sherwood, Ark. became the first and only hospitals in the state to earn accreditation for cardiac catheterization by Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence (ACE), an organization dedicated to ensuring adherence to the highest quality standards for cardiovascular and endovascular care. “We achieved the accreditation by volunteering for a professional review of our structure, internal processes, patient safety practices and clinical outcomes. It is gratifying that our commitment to quality care for our patients resulted in meeting the standards established by experts in cardiac and endovascular care,” said Randy Jordan, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Jack Stephens Heart Institute.

“This accreditation by ACE is a reflection of the commitment to high quality healthcare provided by our physicians, nurses, technicians and support staff. The process involved an in-depth independent review of personnel, quality-assurance processes, facility equipment and patient outcomes information. The data collected was measured against nationally-accepted standards for the highest-quality cardiovascular care. Undergoing this voluntary and rigorous process demonstrates our commitment to providing the best possible care to our patients,” said Polly Davenport, President, CHI St. Vincent Infirmary and North.

“We congratulate CHI St. Vincent Infirmary and North for seeking and obtaining ACE cardiac catheterization accreditations,” said ACE Chief Medical Officer Bonnie Weiner, M.D. “By submitting to a rigorous, independent evaluation, these facilities have shown an uncompromising commitment to provide safe and high quality care.”

The ACE accreditation is confirmation that CHI St. Vincent practices, personnel, processes and outcomes have been measured against nationally-accepted best-practice standards. The ACE outcomes-based accreditation supplements existing quality-improvement programs, promotes uniform benchmarks and improves appropriate utilization via an independent, third-party evaluation of facilities and practices.

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary and North have nearly 22,000 square feet dedicated to cath and electrophysiology labs. There are eight cath/electrophysiology labs for coronary and peripheral procedures with 24 prep and recovery rooms, at the Infirmary and two Cath/Peripheral Labs at North with four prep and recovery rooms. With the state’s largest group of cardiologists, CHI St. Vincent has 30 who provide interventional cardiology and electrophysiology services for treatment of heart disease or heart anomalies. CHI St. Vincent Infirmary cardiologists work alongside cardiovascular surgeons and radiologists in the state’s only cardiovascular-dedicated hybrid OR to perform simultaneous cardiovascular procedures. The Cath Lab at the Infirmary is chest pain accredited as well as ACE accredited.

Nationally there are 48 ACE accredited programs. Along with CHI St. Vincent Infirmary and North, 11 of the 48 are Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) hospitals.