Joint Commission partners with STS, ACC on new cardiac care certification
The Joint Commission, one of the leading healthcare accreditation organizations in the United States, has developed a new cardiac care certification with help from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) and American College of Cardiology (ACC).
The new certification is intended to focus on the importance of high-quality care and real-world patient outcomes. It will be based on the same data hospitals and other healthcare organizations already submit if they participate in the STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database, ACC CathPCI Registry or STS/ACC TVT Registry.
STS President Joseph F. Sabik III, MD, announced the new certification on the opening day of STS 2026 in New Orleans.
“This partnership reflects a shared commitment to advancing the highest standards of quality and patient safety in cardiac surgery,” Sabik said in a statement. He added that participation can help surgeons “demonstrate excellence, strengthen their position with hospital leadership, and differentiate themselves in an increasingly outcomes-driven healthcare environment.”
Meanwhile, ACC Chief Medical Officer Richard Kovacs, MD, celebrated the role CathPCI will play in this new certification.
“The CathPCI Registry has evolved well beyond its initial purpose,” he said. “It is a cornerstone for advancing the quality of cardiovascular care and generating high-quality evidence that informs clinical decision-making in the cath lab. Integrating CathPCI Registry data into Joint Commission’s new cardiac certification allows cardiovascular teams and health systems to more clearly quantify the real-world impact of their patient care and clinical expertise.”
The Joint Commission plans on engaging with organizations interested in this new certification in the months ahead.
“At a time of both rapid advancement in medicine and increasing complexity in healthcare, we must ensure that patients not only have access to quality care, but also that they can have confidence in the care they are getting,” Joint Commission President and CEO Jonathan B. Perlin, MD, PhD, explained. “At the same time, it is critical to ease the burden on busy clinicians and healthcare organizations, so they can focus on delivering great care. By harnessing registries from trusted specialty societies like STS and ACC, we can do both.”
Michael has more than 19 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.