The Joint Commission, AHA launch Comprehensive Heart Attack Center certification program

Editor's Note

The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association, on April 20, announced the launch of a Comprehensive Heart Attack Center certification program, which recognizes hospitals providing care to the most complex and critically ill patients.

To be certified, hospitals must provide 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week on-site coverage for primary percutaneous coronary intervention and cardiac surgical services. In addition, they must implement a multidisciplinary team approach, offering advanced hemodynamic support for treatment of the most complex and critically ill patients, including those with cardiogenic shock and cardiac arrest.

The new Advanced Disease Specific Care certification is available July 1 to all Joint Commission accredited and non-accredited hospitals. Performance measure expectations for the program will be available on The Joint Commission website and included in the Comprehensive Manual for Hospitals.