Lutheran Hospital Receives ACC Heart Failure Accreditation with Outpatient Services for Excellence in Care: Hospital is first in Indiana and one of only three in the nation with specialty designation
5/6/2022
Lutheran Hospital is the first hospital in Indiana and one of only three nationwide to recently be awarded the Heart Failure Accreditation with Outpatient Services by the American College of Cardiology (ACC).
The ACC recognized Lutheran Hospital for its demonstrated expertise and commitment in treating patients with heart failure based on rigorous onsite review of the staff’s ability to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients with heart failure through pre-hospital care, early stabilization, acute care, transitional care, clinical quality measures and more. In collaboration with the hospital’s Advanced Heart and Vascular Center, Lutheran Hospital has extended its commitment to care for the heart failure population beyond the acute hospital setting.
“The new ACC accreditation is an example of our continued commitment to innovation and the incorporation of best practices to provide patients with comprehensive, quality care through every step of their journey toward better heart-health,” said Asim Mohammed, M.D., advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologist and medical director of heart transplant and ventricular assist device (VAD) programs at Lutheran Hospital. “We are proud to offer the highest level of care close to home for our patients with heart failure.”
Heart failure is a chronic and progressive condition where the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs for blood and oxygen. Hospitals that employ an evidence-based, protocol-driven and systematic approach to managing heart failure have been able to reduce time to treatment and are able to identify and predict high-risk patients while also reducing length-of-stay and hospital readmissions.
Facilities earning Heart Failure Accreditation with Outpatient Services not only demonstrate the management of acute heart failure, but also provide or partner with outpatient clinics for post-discharge care and services to heart failure patients. This approach promotes a smooth transition between the inpatient and outpatient setting and ensures a collaborative team effort to ensure the continuum of care.
“The entire Lutheran Hospital team is dedicated to providing patient-centered care, which is the foundation for all our treatments and specialized services,” said Brady Dubios, Lutheran Hospital chief executive officer. “It is an honor to be the first hospital in Indiana to receive the ACC Heart Failure Accreditation with Outpatient Services and a testament to the hard work our providers put into achieving our fundamental purpose of helping people get well and live healthier through enduring relationships with our patients.”
Hospitals receiving Heart Failure Accreditation with Outpatient Services from the ACC must take part in a multi-faceted clinical process that involves: completing a gap analysis; examining variances of care; developing an action plan; a rigorous onsite review; and monitoring for sustained success. Improved methods and strategies of caring for patients include streamlining processes, implementing guidelines and standards, and adopting best practices in the precise care of heart failure patients. Facilities that achieve accreditation meet or exceed an array of stringent criteria and have organized a team of doctors, nurses, clinicians and other administrative staff that earnestly support the efforts leading to better patient education, improved patient outcomes, and more effective and efficient disease control.
The ACC offers U.S. and international hospitals like Lutheran Hospital access to a comprehensive suite of cardiac accreditation services designed to optimize patient outcomes and improve hospital financial performance. These services are focused on all aspects of cardiac care, including heart failure.
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