UTICA, N.Y. – Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS) has received reaccreditation as a prestigious HeartCARE™ Center: National Distinction of Excellence from the American College of Cardiology (ACC). The hospital was the first healthcare organization in New York State to earn this accreditation, and one of the first to achieve this honor nationally.
Accreditation is based on rigorous on-site evaluation of the staff’s ability to safely and effectively evaluate, diagnose and treat patients as well as participation in ongoing quality improvement initiatives and numerous cardiac registry programs.
“We are so very proud of our entire cardiac team for achieving this national recognition,” said Darlene Stromstad, president/CEO of MVHS. “Being designated a HeartCARE Center provides national recognition of what we all know and appreciate – that our cardiac services provide world-class care.”
This is the highest recognition hospitals can receive from the renowned American College of Cardiology. It was established in 2018 to recognize hospitals that demonstrate a commitment to comprehensive high-quality culture.
MVHS achieved this distinction based on meeting specific criteria, on-site reviews and proven quality standards. This designation is only awarded to hospitals that demonstrate excellence in cardiovascular care through comprehensive process improvement, disease and procedure-specific accreditation, professional excellence and community engagement.
“It is an honor for our program to achieve this recognition,” said Michael Sassower, MD, FACC, FSCAI, a cardiologist at CNY Cardiology/medical director of Structural Heart at MVHS. “This recognition is the culmination of years of effort put forward by our team of doctors, nurses, technologists and support staff who have the shared vision of creating a cardiac center that is second to none.”
“We earned this honor because we’re not afraid to put in the hard work and attention to detail that are necessary to achieve elite status,” Sassower continued. “We demonstrate this commitment to excellence through our dedication to patient outcomes and a system-wide investment in the latest technology.”
The Cardiac team at MVHS has been repeatedly recognized by the ACC over the past few years. In addition to this HeartCARE Center designation, MVHS is the only hospital in the state to achieve ACC accreditation in its Electrophysiology (EP).
“Every day, hospitals are demonstrating their commitment to quality cardiovascular care by meeting accreditation criteria and through their ongoing performance measurement in registry reporting,” said Phillip Levy, MD, MPH, FACC, American College of Cardiology Accreditation Management Board Chair. “The ACC’s HeartCARE Center: National Distinction of Excellence program is designed to shine a light on the elite group of U.S. hospitals that are going above and beyond to ensure each patient that comes through their doors has access to consistent, highest-quality cardiovascular care.”
To learn more about the cardiac program at MVHS, visit: mvhealthsystem.org/cardiac
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About MVHS
MVHS is an integrated, non-profit healthcare delivery system that includes St. Elizabeth Medical Center (SEMC), Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare (FSLH), MVHS Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Visiting Nurse Association of Utica and Oneida County and Senior Network Health. MVHS primarily serves the geographic area of Oneida, Herkimer and Madison counties in New York State and is an integrated delivery system with more than 4,200 full-time equivalent employees.
MVHS is in the process of constructing The Wynn Hospital – a 10-story, 672,000-square-foot, 373- bed hospital located on a 25-acre parcel adjacent to the Downtown Utica business district. The campus will also include a central utility plant and the development of a parking garage, physician office building(s), support facilities and a business center. The new hospital creates a structured delivery system to reduce gaps and inefficiencies in care coordination, eliminates duplication of services and improves ease of access with ample parking and centralized entrances. It will be a modern facility with private patient rooms and the flexibility to keep pace with rapidly changing technology and delivery models.
For more information, visit mvhealthsystem.org and find us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
