The American College of Cardiology (ACC) has recognized Northwest Health – Porter for its demonstrated expertise and commitment in treating patients receiving transcatheter valve repair and replacement (TAVR) procedures. Northwest Health – Porter is the first hospital in Northern Indiana awarded Transcatheter Valve Certification and one of only three hospitals in the state to earn this honor.
The hospital received this certification In July based on evaluation of the staff’s ability to meet standards for multidisciplinary teams, formalized training, shared decision-making and registry performance. The ACC’s Transcatheter Valve Certification is an external review and certification process that pairs with established national clinical databases to monitor patient safety and real-world outcomes related to transcatheter valve therapies. Participation in established national clinical databases such as the STS/ACC TVT Registry is required for hospitals interested in achieving Transcatheter Valve Certification. “Northwest Health – Porter has demonstrated its commitment to providing the Northwest Indiana region with excellent heart care,” said Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, FACC, chair of the ACC Accreditation Management Board. “ACC Accreditation Services is proud to award Northwest Health – Porter with Transcatheter Valve Certification. It is the first hospital in Northern, Indiana to TAVR certification.”
The certification uses established national clinical measures to support clinical decisions and links process improvement to patient outcomes. Hospitals that achieve Transcatheter Valve Certification have learned best practices for implementing evidence-based medicine to support patient-centered decision- making and can track key performance metrics to better identify opportunities for improvement. The TAVR procedure provides patients the option of having aortic heart valve replacement without undergoing open heart surgery – a significant advancement in heart care.
The procedure is for patients who have advanced aortic stenosis – or hardening of the heart’s aortic valve. When calcium deposits build up on the aortic valve, the valve becomes thickened and narrowed, which can significantly affect the heart’s ability to effectively pump blood to the rest of the body.
The only treatment for advanced aortic stenosis is valve replacement, but some patients are not candidates for surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR), which remains the gold standard treatment. They may have other health conditions that prohibit them from having open heart surgery. Now, another option is available: transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), during which physicians replace the heart value by accessing the heart through an artery in the thigh. “I’m very proud of our team and their use of established best practices that meet the high standards set forth by the American College of Cardiology” said Ashley Dickinson, Chief Executive Officer for Northwest Health. “Dr. Sandeep Sehgal, interventional cardiologist; Dr. Walid Khabbaz, cardiothoracic surgeon; Dr. Anshuman Das, interventional cardiologist, and Antoinette Whited, RN, TAVR coordinator, have built a program that has grown rapidly since its inception in 2017. Patients who have benefited from the TAVR procedure find their quality of life greatly improved as the full function of their heart is restored.”
The hospital’s Center for Cardiovascular Medicine has also been recognized for its Chest Pain Center and for excellence in treating heart failure and atrial fibrillation. In addition to the American College of Cardiology, the Joint Commission, The American Heart Association, and Blue Cross Blue Shield have also recognized the hospital’s cardiac services quality and patient outcomes. The ACC offers U.S. and international hospitals 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 transcatheter valve therapies.