| March 26, 2009: The Christ Hospital of Cincinnati is the first hospital in the greater Cincinnati area, second in Ohio, and fifth in the nation to be named an Accredited Heart Failure Institute by The Healthcare Accreditation Colloquium. The announcement was made today by the hospital and at the meeting of the American College of Cardiovascular Administrators held in Orlando, Florida. According to Tony Joseph, M.D. and CEO of the Healthcare Accreditation Colloquium, 600,000 new cases of heart failure are diagnosed each year, one every 53 seconds. It is the number one reason for hospital admission for persons over 65 years of age. "About half of them will die within five years," says Dr. Joseph. "That is why hospitals like The Christ Hospital and its Carl H. & Edyth Lindner Heart Failure Treatment Center are so important - they recognize that the response must include patient education, coordinated multidisciplinary care from the hospital and clinicians, and the science of treatment." "Our physicians, nurses, and staff have set a very high standard for patient-focused treatment of heart failure," said Susan Croushore, President and CEO of The Christ Hospital. "Their knowledge and compassion is making a difference in helping patients better manage their heart failure and live longer, more fulfilling lives." Other benefits of accreditation include: - Streamlined patient care processes that improve the continuum of quality care;
- A commitment to preeminent cardiac care;
- A benchmark improvement process through the utilization of latest "evidence-based" best practices;
- A team approach to treatment; and
- Patient education enabling individuals with heart failure to actively participate in the care and management of their condition, avoiding frequent hospitalization.
The accreditation procedure is modeled after well-established process improvement methods, including an analysis of current practices, comprehensive report, in depth interviews, and onsite review. "If heart failure were an infectious disease, it would be classified an epidemic," says Dr. Joseph. "It threatens to become the preeminent health problem of the 21st Century. In response, the Healthcare Accreditation Colloquium enables hospitals to take an organized, systematic approach to this growing health care concern." For more information on The Christ Hospital, visit http://thechristhospital.com/. |