Adventist Health Bakersfield Recognized for Excellence With ACC Heartcare Center Designation

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) has recognized Adventist Health Bakersfield with the HeartCARE Center National Distinction of Excellence designation for the third year in a row. The award is the highest recognition hospitals can receive from the ACC for demonstrating commitment to comprehensive, high-quality heart care.

Becoming an ACC HeartCARE Center validates the significant steps Adventist Health Bakersfield has taken to consistently deliver exceptional care for patients. This includes accreditation as a Chest Pain Center for the twelfth year in a row.

Hospitals and health systems that have earned an ACC HeartCARE Center designation have to meet a set of criteria, including targeted quality improvement campaigns that are designed to help hospitals and institutions close gaps in guideline-based care. They must also earn at least two cardiovascular accreditations offered by ACC. Adventist Health Bakersfield has earned three: Chest Pain, Cardiac Cath Lab with Primary Coronary Intervention (PCI) and Heart Failure.

“Adventist Health Bakersfield has demonstrated its commitment to providing Bakersfield and its surrounding communities 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 Adventist Health Bakersfield with the HeartCARE Center designation.”

Hospitals receiving 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.

“Earning this national distinction demonstrates our commitment to excellence in the way we deliver heart care to our Bakersfield community and beyond,” said Dr. Ghassan Jamaleddine, Chief Medical Officer, Adventist Health Central California. “I further want to congratulate and commend our teams for their continued efforts to expand heart care utilizing the latest in treatment and advanced technology in the communities we serve.”

The ACC distinction for Adventist Health Bakersfield comes on the heels of another honor: the Get With The Guidelines-Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Receiving Center – Bronze award from the American Heart Association. This award recognizes hospitals that provide 24/7 care for patients experiencing a ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). STEMI is a type of heart attack that occurs when a coronary artery is completely blocked and is considered to be more severe than other types of heart attacks.

The ACC offers U.S. and international hospitals like Adventist Health Bakersfield 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.