Chest Pain Center Accreditation by the Society of Chest Pain Centers
The Society of Chest Pain Centers inaugurated an accreditation process through which they evaluate Chest Pain Centers across the country in order to ensure that these centers meet or exceed quality-of-care measures based on improving the process for the care of the ACS patient.
The Chest Pain Center is promoted by the Society as an Operational Model for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) care. The care of the ACS patient starts from the onset of the patient’s symptoms, and includes engagement of Emergency Dispatch Services, Emergency Medical Services, reperfusion, observation unit, cardiac rehab and to discharge from the facility. Within this model, facilities can plan and organize the delivery of care in a systematic manner conducive to a process improvement and patient safety approach. In an effort to make this approach available to the widest possible hospital constituency, the Society offers Chest Pain Center Accreditation.
Chest Pain Center Accreditation was developed using the principles of improvement science that are widely known and used successfully in many areas of endeavor. To improve patient outcomes, the upstream care processes need to be improved. All patient care is a process and can be enhanced.
The patient care delivery system most amenable to process improvement is the hospital. Hospitals feel the same pressures and derive the same success from using process improvement tools as more traditional businesses. Since Chest Pain Center Accreditation is a process improvement experience, participating facilities are left with more efficient, effective organizations in addition to improved patient outcomes.
The Society’s approach to Chest Pain Center Accreditation is radically different from other certification processes that set specifications and then measure compliance. In contrast to more traditional certification models, our Accreditation Review Specialists are collaborative and provide feedback, education and resources to assist the facility in addressing gaps and improving processes. If facility’s are successful improving the care of the ACS patient it supports our mission to reduce heart attack deaths.
The Chest Pain Center Accreditation process begins with the Accreditation Tool, a document detailing the Key Elements critical to the care of the patient with ACS. The content of the Tool is derived from peer-reviewed literature, professional society guidelines and the body of clinical acumen of participating clinicians. The review criteria is a product of leading professional societies such as the American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, American College of Cardiovascular Administrators, Emergency Nurses Association and many others working in collaboration with the Society of Chest Pain Centers.
A gap analysis can be performed using the Accreditation Tool. This analysis is fundamental to creating an operational model that will include strategic planning, budgeting, clinical pathways, and education for your facility. The gap analysis will provide you with a road map to improve processes at your facility.
Accreditation is governed by the Accreditation Committee which reports to the Executive Committee. There are eight Accreditation Sub-Committees, one for each of the Key Elements contained in the Operational Model. These Committees are populated with content experts, many of whom are the official representatives of collaborating societies. The Accreditation Sub-Committees make recommendations to the Accreditation Committee for the review criteria for each cycle of accreditation. While Accreditation Review Teams have the responsibility of reviewing facilities’ applications, conducting site visits, and making reports to the Accreditation Review Committee, the authority to grant accreditation rests with the Accreditation Review Committee.
