The Certification Requires Expertise in Numerous Heart Treatment Programs
Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), is the first institution to be designated a Cardiac Center of Excellence by DNV GL Healthcare.
The Cardiac Center of Excellence designation is only available from a handful of accrediting organizations, and the standards set by DNV GL are the most rigorous by far. Any hospital seeking the designation must be certified by DNV GL in three of four of these programmatic modes of care:
- Chest Pain Care
- Heart Failure Care
- Care with Extracorporeal Life Support (ECLS)
- Care with Ventricular Assist Devices (VAD)
“Accreditation and certification enables us to continually improve the quality of our patient care. There was not a leaf unturned while DNV GL reviewed OHSU's cardiac care processes and policies,” says Anthony Mulholland, senior director of OHSU’s cardiovascular service line.
A hospital or healthcare system designated a Center of Excellence in a specific medical specialty tells the communities they serve that the institution is at the very top of their game in terms of treating patients suffering from heart attacks, congestive heart failure or other cardiac events.
About 650,000 Americans die from heart disease every year, comprising about 25% of all deaths in the United States annually.
“The Cardiac Center of Excellence designation sets a hospital apart. It tells patients and their loved ones they will receive the best care humanly possible,” says Patrick Horine, President of DNV GL Healthcare. “We’re extraordinarily proud to offer it to our hospitals throughout the United States.
Hundreds of hospitals across the United States have switched to DNV GL Healthcare over the past decade, making it the nation’s fastest-growing accrediting body. The organization accredits more than 600 hospitals nationwide.
A recent report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services concluded that DNV GL’s surveys were significantly more likely to match CMS standards than any other accrediting organization in the nation.
“We want to identify innovative practices and approaches to address aspects that improve quality, efficiency and enhance patient care,” said Gary Davis, DNV GL Business Assurance Americas Regional Manager. “Our success is attributable to the unique approach we take with our hospital customers to use the quality management system to their advantage.”
