03/24/2021
The American College of Cardiology has recognized Vassar Brothers Medical Center for its demonstrated expertise and commitment in treating patients receiving transcatheter valve repair and replacement procedures, also known as TAVR.
The American College of Cardiology (ACC) awarded Vassar Brothers Medical Center (VBMC) with the Transcatheter Valve Certification in March based on evaluation of the staff’s ability to meet standards for multidisciplinary teams, formalized training, shared decision-making and registry performance.
“This is a national certification, which acknowledges our high standard of patient care, diligent team approach and patient outcomes,” said Nurse Practitioner Geraldine Kenny, the hospital’s TAVR clinical coordinator. “Vassar Brothers Medical Center and the Structural Heart Program is proud to have received the Transcatheter Valve Certification from the American College of Cardiology.”
TAVR is a less-invasive procedure than open heart surgery, where an interventional cardiologist guides a catheter up to a patient’s heart to replace or repair a diseased aortic valve.
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. VBMC is the 44th facility to obtain this certification out of 730 TAVR sites nationwide, and one of three in the tri-state area to have obtained this recognition.
Hospitals that achieve Transcatheter Valve Certification learn 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.