Shady Grove Medical Center Is Second in Nation to Earn Cardiac Cath Lab Accreditation with PCI

Story by Katie Solovey

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) has recognized Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, Md., for its demonstrated expertise and commitment in treating patients who come to the hospital’s cardiac catheterization lab for care. Shady Grove earned Cardiac Cath Lab Accreditation with PCI in January based on a rigorous onsite study of the staff’s ability to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients. Shady Grove is the only hospital in the Northeast and one of only two hospitals in the U.S. to hold this accreditation.

Cardiac catheterization is a procedure used to diagnose and treat cardiovascular conditions using a catheter or a long, thin tube. The cath lab offers patients a quick, minimally invasive option that requires little to no recovery time. Procedures performed in the cath lab include diagnostic tests like X-rays and biopsies, as well as treatment options like angioplasty, ablation, and stent and pacemaker implantation.

Percutaneous coronary intervention, or PCI, is also known as coronary angioplasty. The non-surgical procedure opens narrowed or blocked coronary arteries with a balloon to relieve symptoms of heart disease or reduce heart damage during or after a heart attack.

Hospitals that receive Cardiac Cath Lab Accreditation with PCI from the ACC must achieve exceptional competency in treating patients who require cardiac catheterization, including a standard assessment process before cath lab procedures to ensure quality and patient safety.

“We are honored to be recognized by the American College of Cardiology for the work being done in Shady Grove’s cath lab,” says Mary Greenberg, vice president for Service Lines, who oversees the cardiac program at Shady Grove Medical Center. “This certification represents our cardiac team’s commitment to providing the best care and outcomes for our patients.”

Facilities like Shady Grove that achieve accreditation meet or exceed an array of stringent criteria and have organized a team of doctors, nurses, clinicians and other administrative staff that earnestly support the efforts leading to improved patient outcomes.

“ACC Accreditation Services is proud to bestow Cardiac Cath Lab Accreditation with PCI on Shady Grove Medical Center,” says Abraham Joseph, vice president of ACC Accreditation Services. “We commend Shady Grove for its demonstrated commitment to providing Montgomery County with excellent cardiac care.”