UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital has been recognized by The American College of Cardiology (ACC) for its demonstrated expertise and commitment in treating patients receiving transcatheter valve (TAVR) repair and replacement procedures.
The procedure is a minimally invasive, catheter-based procedure to replace the aortic valve in patients with aortic stenosis instead of undergoing open heart surgery.
St. Luke’s was awarded Transcatheter Valve Certification based on evaluation of the staff’s ability to meet standards for multidisciplinary teams, formalized training, shared decision-making and registry performance. The 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.
“This certification is proof of the dedication of our team in providing the best outcomes to our patients,” said Dr. Richard Kettelkamp of UnityPoint Health – Heart and Vascular Institute and St. Luke’s Cardiology in a release. “St. Luke’s is the first in the state to earn this accreditation. It means we have an established, proven program that patients can be confident in when they choose St. Luke’s for their TAVR procedure and heart care.”
The certification uses established national clinical measures to support clinical decisions and links process improvement to patient outcomes. Hospitals that achieve 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.
