Edgewood, KY – St. Elizabeth Edgewood has been awarded the American Heart Association’s Cardiovascular Center of Excellence accreditation, a comprehensive level of designation for cardiovascular care. It recognizes hospitals committed to following proven treatment guidelines incorporated into a comprehensive system of care to fully address the needs of patients with complex cardiac conditions. St. Elizabeth Edgewood is the first hospital in Greater Cincinnati and just the seventh in the U.S. to achieve this accreditation.
Hospitals accredited as Cardiovascular Centers of Excellence must meet or exceed standards established using multidisciplinary treatment models for all types of cardiovascular patients. These standards include 24/7 cardiovascular services, comprehensive training for all staff caring for this patient population, a strong internal and external systems of care approach to deliver services, and extensive community outreach to help their population recognize and participate in cardiovascular health.
“This accreditation is recognition of the dedication, commitment and skill of the St. Elizabeth Heart & Vascular Institute team that provides the highest quality personalized care to our patients,” says Victor Schmelzer, MD, Medical Director, St. Elizabeth Heart & Vascular Institute. “Recognition such as this inspires us to continue to improve as we work to make our community one of the healthiest in the nation.”
“We are thrilled for what this means to our patients, that we are right here for them with the highest quality heart care,” says D.P. Suresh, MD, Medical Director, St. Elizabeth Heart & Vascular. “This recognition demonstrates that we have the physicians and staff, administrative leadership, technology, and research in place to provide unparalleled heart care for the people of this region.”
According to the American Heart Association, the overall goal for the Cardiovascular Center of Excellence accreditation is to improve the outcomes of patients affected by cardiovascular disease. This is accomplished by optimizing the patient and caregiver experiences through a collaborative approach to incorporate best practices founded on established evidence-based cardiovascular treatment guidelines fostered with a systems of care approach.
The American Heart Association also notes that Cardiovascular Centers of Excellence are recognized as champions in their populations’ health. “In 2015 when the St. Elizabeth Heart & Vascular Institute opened, we set a goal to reduce heart-related deaths in Northern Kentucky by 25% by the end of 2025. Today’s announcement is further reinforcement of the progress we continue to make toward that goal,” notes Gary Blank, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of St. Elizabeth Healthcare. “This accreditation verifies St. Elizabeth’s commitment to providing a high-quality, multidisciplinary cardiovascular system of care with a focus on individual patients and the overall health of the community.”