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Comprehensive Cardiac Center Certification
The University of Kansas Health System is the first hospital in the nation to achieve Comprehensive Cardiac Center (CCC) Certification. This is a new honor awarded by The Joint Commission – America's top certifying body that accredits healthcare organizations that meet specific standards of quality. Achieving CCC certification is another way The University of Kansas Health System is leading Kansas City and the nation in patient care.
About CCC certification
CCC certification honors heart programs with a comprehensive approach to care and a commitment to excellence, along with a dedication to continuous improvement. The certification criteria include outstanding patient outcomes and a patient-first philosophy where all specialties work together for the benefit of the patient.
Congratulations to The University of Kansas Health System for being the first hospital in the country to achieve Joint Commission Comprehensive Cardiac Center Certification. Their leadership in pursuing this certification is a testament to their desire to reduce unwanted variations in how cardiac care is provided to their patients across the spectrum from the emergency department through follow-up outpatient care. – Patrick Phelan
Executive Director, Hospital Business Development, The Joint Commission
The evaluation process
In order to be the first in the U.S. to earn CCC certification, The University of Kansas Health System had to demonstrate excellence in treating every type of heart issue at any point in the disease process – from prevention through diagnosis, treatment and recovery. Our heart care services were required to exceed quality measurements in at least 7 of the following areas:
- Cardiac rehabilitation
- Heart failure
- Cardiac arrest
- Coronary artery bypass
- Diagnostic cardiac catheterization
- Valve replacement
- Percutaneous coronary intervention
- ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)
- Arrhythmia management
- Acute myocardial infarction
The commission surveyors focused on how well the various specialties worked together, which required collaboration among physicians and specialists – a hallmark of academic medical centers and The University of Kansas Health System.
"It is critical to our program to have no walls between specialists. We were the first program in the region to put cardiologists and heart surgeons in the same office, side by side, to foster cooperation," says Peter Tadros, MD, director of interventional cardiology at The University of Kansas Health System. "We also pioneered the hybrid suite where interventional cardiologists and surgeons work together on leading-edge heart procedures."
We offer a variety of appointment types. Learn more or call 913-588-1227 to schedule now.
We are humbled and proud to be the first hospital in the nation to achieve this certification by The Joint Commission. It's a testament to the great care provided by our cardiovascular team each and every day. It also serves as another milestone in our quest to lead the nation in caring, healing, teaching and discovering. – Bob Page
CEO, The University of Kansas Health System
Why choose a CCC-certified hospital?
Choosing a CCC-certified hospital ensures you receive comprehensive, coordinated, high-quality care. Seeking CCC certification is voluntary, meaning our heart care team wasn't forced to go through a strict evaluation process, and they spent more than a year preparing to apply. We wanted to do it because providing the best care is the right thing to do. This certification attests to our commitment to putting the health and safety of our patients first.
Leading the nation in heart care
The University of Kansas Health System is the first in the nation to earn The Joint Commission's highest certification for comprehensive heart care. TJC is the nation's leading accrediting body for hospitals.
This is The Joint Commission taking a look at our program as a whole. Cardiac surgery, interventional cardiology, EP, to cardiac rehab, to the outpatient facilities.
10 critical heart care areas were measured against the highest standards now set by TJC, standards that mean patients are receiving the best healthcare available to them and can expect the best outcomes. The University of Kansas Health System has been awarded the nation's first-ever Comprehensive Cardiac Center certification.
I think it does mean a lot to be the first. It means a lot that our program has got every portion, every aspect of the cardiovascular service line performing at an excellent level that it may be that certification. So, yeah, I think to be first in the country with the certification is a pretty neat thing.
Medicine is complex, and it takes a team of medical professionals working together and at their best. The Joint Commission recognizes The University of Kansas Health System for their years of commitment and quality in serving heart patients.
I would really like to thank our cardiovascular team. Everything we do in this organization is about a team. It's not about any one individual. And I would imagine, if you asked any member of our cardiovascular team, they would say the team is bigger than just the cardiovascular team, it's the entire organization. So, hats off to the CV team, hats off to the entire organization for this great honor from The Joint Commission.