Dignity Health’s St. Joseph’s Hospital And Medical Center Receives Atrial Fibrillation Certification

Dignity Health's St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center has received full Atrial Fibrillation Certification status from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC).

In order to receive the accreditation, St. Joseph's had to demonstrate its expertise and commitment to quality patient care by meeting or exceeding a wide set of stringent criteria and undergoing a comprehensive review by an accreditation review specialist from the SCPC.

"We are especially proud of the certification because it demonstrates our ongoing commitment to provide high quality cardiovascular care to patients and the communities we serve," said Lisa Kelly, executive director of cardiothoracic services at St. Joseph's. "There are already nearly 3 million patients in the United States with atrial fibrillation. As Baby Boomers continue to age, we expect these numbers to rapidly increase."

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and has become recognized as a serious health concern that in some cases can lead to stroke and possible death. Atrial fibrillation patients use more healthcare services and have much higher healthcare costs than those without the disease. The SCPC's goal is to help facilities evaluate and manage the atrial fibrillation patient more effectively, improve patient outcomes, and educate patients and healthcare providers to more efficiently care for this disease.

The SCPC said that St. Joseph's protocol-driven and systematic approach to patient evaluation and management allows physicians to reduce time to treatment and to risk stratify patients to decrease their length of stay in the emergency department and the hospital, serving to promote higher quality of care.

Contact: Lynne Reaves, 602.406.473