OMAHA, Neb. - Alegent Creighton Health is the first healthcare system in the world to earn full accreditation from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC) in all three areas of: heart failure treatment, Chest Pain Center services and atrial fibrillation treatment. The SCPC is an international not-for-profit organization that focuses on transforming cardiovascular care by assisting facilities in their effort to create communities of excellence that brings together quality, cost and patient satisfaction.

"Certification and accreditation are important benchmarks that tell people that hospitals receiving these designations have demonstrated a high standard of care – it's like earning a seal of approval for our system," said Jeff Carstens, M.D., cardiologist and medical director for Alegent Creighton Health Heart and Vascular Institute. "Being the first in the world to achieve all three accreditations validates all our hard work and commitment to providing the best care and best possible outcomes for our patients."

Carstens added that "2,500 patients come through the Alegent Creighton Health Chest Pain Centers in our emergency departments annually. Having greater access to healthcare experts and top-quality facilities is crucial in an emergency."

The triple accreditation was achieved at all six Alegent Creighton Health metro area facilities: Bergan Mercy Medical Center, Creighton University Medical Center, Immanuel Medical Center, Lakeside Hospital, Mercy Hospital and Midlands Hospital.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of disability. More than 616,000 people die of heart diseases in the U.S. each year or 25 percent of all U.S. deaths. Heart failure patients alone are responsible for 12 to 15 million physician office visits per year and 6.5 million hospital days. SCPC's goal is to help facilities manage the heart failure patient more efficiently and improve patient outcomes.

"Congratulations to the Alegent Creighton Health family of hospitals for becoming the first hospital system in the world to be accredited in the care of patients with chest pain, heart failure and atrial fibrillation," said Wil Mick, chief executive officer of SCPC. "These facilities met our high standards, and demonstrated the ability to continually improve processeson an ongoing basis, giving the best cardiovascular solutions available anywhere to the people of Nebraska and Iowa."

According to SCPC, Alegent Creighton Health demonstrated its expertise and commitment to quality patient care by meeting or exceeding a wide set of stringent criteria and underwent an on-site review by a team of SCPC's accreditation review specialists at each metro area hospital. The SCPC review team made special note of Alegent Creighton Health's attention to a system-wide approach and the excellent collaboration the system has with local emergency medical services.

The review process began June, concluding in an extensive, six-day, on-site survey at each hospital in October to review the many processes involved in each accreditation.

Alegent Creighton Health has achieved Chest Pain Center accreditation from the SCPC since 2007, but 2012 is the first year the system sought and earned all three accreditations.

Alegent Creighton Health
With a commitment to providing high-quality care and an exceptional patient experience, Alegent Creighton Health physicians and employees are focused on caring for the body, mind and spirit of every person. Patients find a continuum of care at Alegent Creighton Health, from primary care through geriatrics. Sponsored by Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI), Alegent Creighton Health is the largest not-for-profit, faith-based healthcare provider in Nebraska and southwest Iowa with 11 acute care hospitals, a specialty spine hospital, freestanding inpatient psychiatric and skilled nursing facilities and more than 100 Alegent Creighton Clinic locations. As the primary teaching partner of Creighton University's health sciences schools, Alegent Creighton Health and Alegent Creighton Clinic are committed to teaching the health professionals of the future. For more information about Alegent Creighton Health, visit AlegentCreighton.com.

Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care
The Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC) is an international not-for-profit organization that focuses on transforming cardiovascular care by assisting facilities in their effort to create communities of excellence that bring together quality, cost and patient satisfaction. As the only cross-specialty organization, SCPC provides the support needed for individual hospitals and hospital systems to effectively bridge