Why & How to Get Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence (ACE)

In order to position your hospital or practice as a specialized cardiovascular center, an outside accreditation can compel you to improve quality of care and patient standards. Earning Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence (ACE) has an important role in how hospitals with cardiovascular centers of excellence can differentiate themselves and increase reputation and public perception.

Sponsored by the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), ACE exists solely to evaluate and accredit excellence in heart health. The third party, physician-led organization reviews, evaluates, and certifies hospitals and other facilities in numerous cardiovascular subspecialties, including:

• Carotid Artery Stenting Accreditation

• Cath/PCI Accreditation

• Congenital Heart Disease Accreditation for PCCL

• Diagnostic Catheterization Accreditation

• Electrophysiology Accreditation

• Peripheral Vascular Intervention Accreditation

Although not all programs will be a good fit for each hospital, seeking ACE accreditation is an important step in developing a positive public and professional perception. Facilities recognized for excellence are more likely to:

• Be rated higher both locally and nationally

• Reduce the expenses associated with managing patient care

• Minimize the risks and complications of challenging procedures

ACE Accreditation Process

The ACE review process is complex and comprehensive, providing a thorough way for to empirically evaluate both management and delivery of care for cardiovascular centers of excellence. However, success may depend on a facility’s willingness to overhaul previously acceptable standards.

Evaluations by ACE are performed using gold-standard peer-reviewed criteria, putting committee members on the ground in your facility to determine standards of care, patient management, staff proficiency, and more.

According to the ACE Website, the path to accreditation includes:

• Completing an Online Application: An in-house review of the application is performed by ACE staff to ensure completeness.

• Data Review: Nurse and physician reviewers will be assigned to review application data and identify potential issues or items that require further clarification. Physician reviewers are selected from a multidisciplinary pool of experienced carotid stent, vascular medicine, and neurologic clinicians that are consistent with the physicians who perform CAS at the applicant institution.

• Site Visit: All facilities will be subject to an onsite review by a team of experienced, trained and objective nurse reviewers. The review includes:

• Chart audits

• Peer review

• Physical inspection

• Review of outcomes

• Interviews with key personnel

• Reviews of standard operating procedures

• Angiography Review: A random collection of angiographic studies will be collected for independent review. These studies are evaluated for image quality, adherence to angiographic standards and appropriateness.

The Importance of Patient Care Coordination and ACE Accreditation

Although ACE accreditation puts a strong focus on comprehensive facility operations, improvements in all areas of your practice can help you secure the certifications you deserve—which includes patient care coordination.

Of course, improving your organizational practices won’t only help your achieve your accreditation goals, but they will also enable you to:

• Reduce costs

• Decrease discrepancies

• Comprehensively serve the patient from beginning to end

• Provide assessments

• Manage your patients and your care team in the most efficient way

If you are considering getting Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence for your facility, be sure to fully understand what is involved so that you—and your patients—may experience the many advantages of being ACE certified.

Sequence Health can support your journey through the ACE accreditation process. Contact us if you need assistance ensuring your facility’s compliance with cardiovascular excellence accreditation standards or would like to improve patient care coordination.