The Joint Commission, AHA announce new advanced certification program for heart attack patient care

Editor's Note

The Joint Commission, on February 13, announced that it has partnered with the American Heart Association (AHA) to develop a new advanced disease-specific care certification program for heart attack patient care.

The Comprehensive Heart Attack Center (CHAC) Certification Program (CHAC), which is based on AHA clinical practice guidelines and recommendations, will be effective July 1, 2022. The program is available for all Joint Commission accredited or non-Joint Commission accredited hospitals that are compliant with applicable federal laws.

CHAC certification focuses on the complete continuum of care, including:

• symptom onset
• emergency department care
• interventions, such as cardiac catheterization and/or surgery
• postintervention, postoperative care
• discharge, rehabilitation.

CHAC certification also requires hospitals to provide 24/7 on-site coverage for primary percutaneous coronary intervention and cardiac surgery.