Excellence with HeartCARE Center

El Camino Health Nationally Recognized for Excellence with HeartCARE Center Designation

Mountain View, CA – El Camino Health's Norma Melchor Heart & Vascular Institute (HVI) has earned the HeartCARE Center National Distinction of Excellence based on meeting stringent accreditation criteria, and through their ongoing performance registry reporting. The American College of Cardiology (ACC) has recognized HVI for its demonstrated commitment to providing a comprehensive, high-quality heart program and cardiovascular care that exceeds national standards.

"As the only heart program in the Bay Area to earn the HeartCARE Center distinction, it demonstrates that El Camino Health provides leading-edge cardiovascular care and superior results that are among the best of all area hospitals," said Frederick St. Goar, MD, medical director – Norma Melchor Heart & Vascular Institute at El Camino Health. "I want to recognize the efforts of our incredible multidisciplinary HVI team and commend them for their continued focus on advancing heart care for patients throughout the Bay Area."

Hospitals and health systems that have earned an ACC HeartCARE Center designation have met a set of criteria, including participating in at least two ACC Accreditation Services, National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR®) registries and targeted programs, and quality improvement campaigns that are designed to help hospitals and institutions close gaps in guideline-based care.

"El Camino Health has demonstrated its commitment to providing excellent heart care to the San Francisco Bay Area," said Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, FACC, chair of the ACC Accreditation Management Board. "ACC Accreditation Services is proud to award this outstanding healthcare organization with the HeartCARE Center designation."

Hospitals earning the HeartCARE Center designation from the ACC have demonstrated their commitment to consistent, high-quality cardiovascular care through comprehensive process improvement, disease and procedure-specific accreditation, professional excellence, and community engagement. El Camino Health has proven to be a forward-thinking institution with goals to advance the cause of sustainable quality improvement.

"Our cardiovascular expertise and dedication to our patients has earned us numerous national awards, accolades, and professional accreditations, including several from the ACC," said Josh Schreckengost, executive director – Norma Melchor Heart & Vascular Institute at El Camino Health. "Our greatest accomplishment, though, is helping people achieve optimal health and getting back to living their best life."

About El Camino Health

El Camino Health has served the communities of Santa Clara County for more than 60 years, with nationally recognized physicians and nurses at two not-for-profit acute care hospitals in Los Gatos and Mountain View, and primary care, multi-specialty care, and urgent care locations across the region. El Camino Health is dedicated to giving patients high-quality care utilizing the most advanced technology and research, delivering results first and respect always.

Aside from achieving outstanding patient outcomes, the hospitals have earned numerous awards for clinical excellence, including being named one of the World's Best Hospitals 2023 by Newsweek and becoming the San Francisco Bay Area's first Magnet hospital, earning four consecutive designations from the American Nurses Credentialing Center for nursing excellence.

Key service lines include cancer care, cardiovascular care, maternity care, mental health and addiction services, orthopedics, pulmonology, urology, and women's health. Visit elcaminohealth.org to learn more.

About The American College of Cardiology

The American College of Cardiology envisions a world where innovation and knowledge optimize cardiovascular care and outcomes. As the professional home for the entire cardiovascular care team, the mission of the College and its 54,000 members is to transform cardiovascular care and to improve heart health. The ACC bestows credentials upon cardiovascular professionals who meet stringent qualifications and leads in the formation of health policy, standards and guidelines. The College also provides professional medical education, disseminates cardiovascular research through its world-renowned JACC Journals, operates national registries to measure and improve care, and offers cardiovascular accreditation to hospitals and institutions. For more, visit acc.org.

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