Doylestown Hospital Recognized for Excellence with ACC Transcatheter Valve Certification

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) has recognized Doylestown Hospital for its demonstrated expertise and commitment in treating patients receiving transcatheter valve repair and replacement procedures. Doylestown Hospital was awarded Transcatheter Valve Certification in June 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.

“Our heart team is an exceptional example of multidisciplinary teamwork,” said Jennifer Harrar, DNP, CRNP-BC, Doylestown Health’s Structural Heart Coordinator. “The collaboration and commitment from the core team to all of the multiple disciplines exceeds all expectations. As the manager and coordinator of the structural heart program, I am proud of the TAVR team and look forward to the continued success of the program.”

“Doylestown Hospital has demonstrated its commitment to providing the Bucks County 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 Doylestown Hospital with Transcatheter Valve 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 demonstrate 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.

Doylestown Hospital physicians were among the first in the region to perform the innovative procedure to replace diseased heart valves in patients without open-heart surgery when they completed their first transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in late 2013. Since then, the team has performed more than 650 TAVR procedures.

TAVR is an advanced treatment option for patients with aortic stenosis. The aorta is the main artery carrying blood out of the heart. As people age, calcium deposits may narrow the valve and it may not open properly, obstructing blood flow from the heart to the aorta and the rest of the body. This condition, called aortic stenosis, generally affects older adults and may lead to heart failure. Symptoms include chest pain, fatigue and shortness of breath, lightheadedness, fainting or difficulty when exercising.

In the past, the only option was to have open-heart surgery to replace the malfunctioning valve. Because of advanced age and other co-morbidities, not everyone can tolerate open-heart surgery. TAVR is another option that offers hope for a better quality of life. TAVR has been shown to be equal or superior to surgical aortic valve replacement in patients across all surgical risk categories, according to the American College of Cardiology.

TAVR now is a treatment option for most aortic stenosis patients. Doylestown Hospital uses a team approach to identifying and treating these patients. The team combines the expertise of cardiologists, interventional cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, anesthesiologists and a valve clinic coordinator, all working together to evaluate patients and develop personal treatment plans.

“TAVR has been a transformative treatment option for many patients with aortic valve stenosis; Doylestown Hospital has made a priority commitment to support the TAVR team to achieve the most favorable possible outcomes,” noted Doylestown Health cardiothoracic surgeon James B. McClurken, MD, FACS. “With many older complex medical history patients, safety and optimizing the potential for best outcomes has remained central to planning for each and every procedure.”

The ACC offers U.S. and international hospitals, like Doylestown Hospital, 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.

“Achieving transcatheter valve accreditation from the ACC is a distinct honor and further demonstrates Doylestown Health’s commitment to providing the most comprehensive and high quality cardiac care to our community,” said James Hansen, DO, FACP, FACC, Medical Director of the Doylestown Health Structural Heart Disease program. “It is an honor to work with the distinguished physicians and providers on the structural heart disease team and to bring these advancements to our patients.”