Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence (ACE) publishes new standards for pediatric and adult congenital cardiac catheterization laboratories
The Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence (ACE) has just released the first-ever congenital heart disease (CHD) standards for Pediatric and Congenital Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory (PCCL) accreditation. Driven by the latest available clinical evidence, the CHD standards are a comprehensive review of interventional procedures in pediatric patients and adults with congenital heart disease.
“The ACE CHD Standards for PCCL Accreditation, like registry data, will allow cardiac catheterization laboratories to evaluate themselves against other facilities preforming similar procedures and have input from an unbiased body of experts to help promote quality improvement within their center,” said Larry Latson, MD, FAAP, FAAC, FSCAI, Director of Pediatric Catheter Intervention and Adult Congenital Heart Disease at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital and Memorial Healthcare System in Hollywood, Florida.
Ideally, catheterization procedures in pediatric and adult patients with CHD should be performed in PCCLs equipped to manage the unique needs of this special patient population. Prior to the development of the ACE standards, however, no benchmarks had been established for quality care in the PCCL setting.
The ACE CHD Standards for PCCL Accreditation define the current evidence-based best practices for a variety of diagnostic and interventional procedures in pediatric and adult patients with CHD, including hemodynamic evaluation, angiography, occlusion of intracardiac shunts, valvuloplasty, balloon dilation and/or stent dilation of stenotic vessels, flow redirection/vessel embolization, and valve implantation. To achieve ACE CHD accreditation, PCCLs must document that they have the resources to assist in improving the procedures offered in their laboratory.
The ACE CHD Standards for PCCL Accreditation will be launched at the ACE exhibit at the 2015 Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) Scientific Sessions, May 6-9, 2015, at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront in San Diego, CA. Be sure to follow our meeting coverage on Twitter (@ACE_CVEXCEL) and visit ACE at Booth 115 to receive your copy of the ACE CHD Standards for PCCL Accreditation and to learn how your lab can realize the rewards and benefits of ACE accreditation. After the SCAI 2015 meeting, the CHD Standards will be available for download on the ACE website (http://www.cvexcel.org).
About Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence (ACE)
ACE is the global leader in accreditation and external quality review services for all catheter-based cardiovascular procedures. ACE, an independent organization sponsored by the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) and the American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF), offers independent evaluation and monitoring of facilities that provide cardiovascular care. By reviewing facility and operator performance and comparing clinical decision-making to nationally accepted best practices, ACE quality review and accreditation services play a critical role in continuous quality improvement programs. Join us. Let us exceed your expectations and provide a free consultation. Contact ACE at info(at)cvexcel(dot)org or call our office at 202.657.6859 or visit our website at http://www.cvexcel.org.