Doylestown Hospital Awarded Primary Heart Attack Center (PHAC) Certification from The Joint Commission

Doylestown Hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check mark for Primary Heart Attack Center Certification.

Doylestown Hospital is one of 33 hospitals in the United States and two in Pennsylvania to earn Primary Heart Attack Center (PHAC) certification*.

Doylestown Hospital underwent a rigorous onsite review in April 2022. During the visit, a Joint Commission reviewer evaluated compliance with related certification standards including process review with a focus on symptom onset and first medical contact, emergency medical services, catheterization laboratories and inpatient care. PHAC centers have on-site primary percutaneous coronary intervention (catheterization to open blocked arteries) coverage for heart attack patients 24/7. Joint Commission standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. The reviewers also conducted onsite observations and interviews.

“Certification provides a method for us to assure the highest quality care based on guidelines set forth by the American Heart Association,” says Doylestown Hospital’s Woodall Chest Pain Center Coordinator Elaine Schultheiss. “This shows that we are not only meeting but often surpassing these standards. It represents the dedication of our administration, physicians and clinical team to provide care that will produce the best outcomes.”

“We are truly proud to have earned and been awarded this certification,” says Doylestown Health Vice President, Cardiovascular and Surgical Services, John Mitchell. “This certification is the result of the continued focus by our physicians, providers and staff as well as the culmination of years of quality improvement in the Woodall Chest Pain Center resulting in the highest quality care for our heart attack patients. This PHAC certification recognizes our commitment to cardiac patient care.”

“Primary Heart Attack Center Certification recognizes health care organizations committed to fostering continuous quality improvement in patient safety and quality of care,” says Mark Pelletier, RN, MS, chief operating officer, Accreditation and Certification Operations, and chief nursing executive, The Joint Commission. “We commend Doylestown Hospital for using certification to reduce variation in its clinical processes and to strengthen its program structure and management framework for cardiac patients.”

Doylestown Hospital’s Woodall Chest Pain Center is fully prepared to treat cardiac emergencies around the clock. Emergency and cardiac experts coordinate patient care with local ambulance services even before a patient arrives. Focusing on rapid diagnosis and effective treatment, the Woodall Chest Pain Center is also accredited by the American College of Cardiology, denoting a higher level of expertise in treating patients who arrive with symptoms of a heart attack. A multidisciplinary Chest Pain Center committee meets regularly to develop project improvement plans. Continuous process improvement is a goal of Doylestown Hospital’s cardiovascular program.

“Certifications like the Chest Pain Center and Primary Heart Attack Center allow us to further develop a quality program to measure and compare our outcomes nationally and to ensure our processes are standardized to the latest guidelines for heart attack care,” adds Schultheiss.

“We congratulate Doylestown Hospital for this outstanding achievement,” says Nancy Brown, chief executive officer, the American Heart Association. “This certification reflects its commitment to providing the highest quality of care for cardiac patients.”

For more information, please visit The Joint Commission website.

*As of June 23, 2022