New Delhi: Indian hospitals’ who’s who cardiac doctors have been going to town telling they are world class for quite a while now, except that they still are sans anything to buttress their claims.
But American College of Cardiology (ACC), agency for the ultimate badge of recognition, is soon going to fill this gap. It has unveiled a program to collaborate with Indian hospitals to evaluate their cardiac capacities and groom them further to take their quality to the next level of care. ACC will introduce a clinical data registry that tracks the delivery and outcomes of cardiovascular treatments performed at participating hospitals.
With this feather in cap, India might become globally the most sought after destination for cardiac care. Indian medical device major Translumina Therapeutics LLP, maker of world grade stent, has partnered with the American College of Cardiology (ACC) for an International Center of Excellence (ICOE) program in India. This collaboration aims to enhance the care of patients with complex cardio vascular disease in Indian hospitals by standardizing and enhancing healthcare delivery. ACC’s representatives were in Delhi in the first week of January to register hospitals for the program.
Talking to Medicare News, they said, Indian hospitals including that of Delhi have evinced great interest in being part of this program. They said the crucial logo of American College of Cardiology would greatly enhance their standing in the global health tourism map as regards cardiac care. Whatever the class, patients of United States and European Countries still do not look at Indian Cardiac services at par with theirs. ACC grade is sure to end that perception.
To a question of Medicare News, Dr. Jeptha P. Curtis, ACC Representative, Associate Professor, Cardiovascular Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, said, ‘This is not to say that there are no world class cardiac hospitals in India so far. They are but American College of Cardiology accreditation would really put them on a global pedestal.’
Dr Curtis further said, ‘Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death and disability in India. Through ACC’s National Cardiovascular Data Registry, we will be able to provide feedback to hospitals regarding their outcomes in comparison with global averages and work with them to improve patient care.’
Mr. Gurmit Singh Chugh, Managing Director, Translumina Therapeutics LLP said, ‘Indian healthcare transformation requires collaboration. We are excited that ACC chose us over many American multinational companies as their Indian partner for enabling our cardiologists and hospitals to learn and adopt the best in global clinical practices in cardiovascular health with the ICOE program. Being an Indian Company, It’s our moral responsibility as the India manufacturer of high quality cardiovascular devices that our patients should get not only the best products but also the best treatments at par with highest international standards.’
The program requires a hospital to apply for the ICOE with a commitment to transparency and a willingness to improve. ACC staff, along with the logistical help from Translumina, will evaluate interested hospitals and select those that meet the criteria and have a strong commitment to improving their patient care. ICOE accreditation will be awarded to those hospitals who demonstrate the ability to provide comprehensive care to cardiovascular patients through well-organized systems, services, facilities and highly-trained and experienced doctors, with an emphasis on delivering quality care and positive patient outcomes.
The ACC ICOEs are transforming care and improving heart health by engaging in their communities and the global health community to increase awareness, and prevention, of heart disease in ways that impact patients. These institutes provide quality care and engage in vital research to keep moving heart health forward.
‘We shall make it easy for patients, referring physicians, payors and other stakeholders to identify a good centre for getting a cardiovascular treatment. They only shall have to look for a hospital with ‘International Centre of Excellence’ accreditation for ensuring a high quality of patient care,’ said Punita Sharma Arora, Co-Founder, Translumina Therapeutics.
Translumina Therapeutics is a manufacturer of drug-eluting stents and other medical devices in the treatment of heart attack. The company has launched the complete indigenous solution of cardiovascular devices required for a procedure of Angioplasty.
