Mercy Hospital in Durango, Colorado, has received two accreditations from the American College of Cardiology (ACC): Chest Pain Center with Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) and Cardiac Cath Lab Accreditation with PCI. These accreditations recognize Mercy Hospital’s commitment to providing advanced cardiac care for patients in the region.
The hospital underwent a nine-month evaluation process and an onsite review by the ACC. The Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI accreditation acknowledges Mercy’s expertise in diagnosing and treating acute coronary syndromes, ensuring that patients who arrive with chest pain receive rapid and appropriate care. The Cardiac Cath Lab Accreditation with PCI recognizes the quality of Mercy’s cardiac catheterization procedures, including percutaneous coronary intervention, which is used to open narrowed or blocked arteries.
“This dual accreditation is a testament to the extraordinary dedication and collaborative spirit of every single member of the Mercy Hospital team,” said Josh Neff, President, Mercy Hospital. “It underscores our mission to deliver life-saving, high-quality cardiac care right here in our community. These hard-won accreditations reinforce our position as the leading provider of comprehensive and advanced cardiac services in the Four Corners region, ensuring patients receive timely and expert care when it matters most.”
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 730,000 Americans experience heart attacks each year. Hospitals that achieve these ACC accreditations demonstrate strong competency in caring for cardiac patients.
To maintain Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI status, hospitals must provide round-the-clock access to primary PCI procedures and follow a policy that does not divert out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients elsewhere. For Cardiac Cath Lab Accreditation with PCI, requirements include standardized assessment processes and coordinated care during procedures, as well as effective transfer to recovery units for continued monitoring.
“Mercy Hospital has demonstrated its commitment to providing the Durango community 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 Mercy Hospital with both Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI and Cardiac Cath Lab Accreditation with PCI.”
Achieving these designations requires hospitals to complete clinical evaluations such as gap analysis and examination of variances in patient care. Facilities must also develop action plans based on findings from rigorous onsite reviews and continue ongoing monitoring for sustained improvement.
Hospitals that meet these standards form dedicated teams across medical and administrative roles to improve patient outcomes through best practices in education and treatment methods.
The ACC provides hospitals worldwide access to accreditation services focused on optimizing outcomes for cardiac patients while improving financial performance through enhanced processes spanning emergency heart attack treatment through advanced catheterization lab procedures.
