Newswise — On January 2, Porter Adventist Hospital was notified that it is now the first and only health care facility in Colorado to receive full Atrial Fibrillation Certification status from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC). This most recent honor has further elevated the status of the Porter Heart and Vascular Institute, which is now nationally recognized as one of the most advanced, specialized and experienced cardiovascular treatment programs in the country.

Porter Adventist Hospital has demonstrated its expertise and commitment to quality patient care by meeting or exceeding a wide set of stringent criteria and undergoing a comprehensive review by an accreditation review specialist from the SCPC. The Porter Heart and Vascular Institute’s protocol-driven and systematic approach to patient evaluation and management allows physicians to reduce time to treatment and to risk stratify patients to decrease their length of stay in the emergency department and the hospital. Key areas in which a facility with Atrial Fibrillation Certification must demonstrate expertise include the following: - Emergency Department Integration with Emergency Medical Services- Emergency Assessment of Patients with Atrial Fibrillation- Risk Stratification of the Atrial Fibrillation Patient- Treatment for Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department in Atrial Fibrillation- Atrial Fibrillation Discharge Criteria from the Emergency Department, Observation Services, or Inpatient Stay- Atrial Fibrillation Patient Education in the Emergency Department, Observation Services, and Inpatient Unit- Personnel, Competencies and Training- Process Improvement- Organizational Structure and Commitment- Atrial Fibrillation Community Outreach About Porter Adventist HospitalPorter Adventist Hospital is a full service, Nursing Magnet® designated, 368-bed acute-care referral center for complex medicine and surgery patients. Porter specializes in cancer care, joint replacement, heart and vascular procedures, spinal surgery, advanced robotic surgery and organ transplants. Porter is sponsored by Adventist Health System and is part of Centura Health, the region’s largest hospital and health care network. For more information on Porter Adventist Hospital, visit www.porterhospital.orgnbsp;or follow the hospital on Twitter @PorterHospital or www.facebook.com/PorterAdventistHospital.

About the Society of Cardiovascular Patient CareThe 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 existing gaps in treatment by providing the tools, education and support necessary to successfully navigate the changing face of healthcare. For more information on SCPC, accreditation and certification opportunities, visit www.scpcp.org, or call toll free 1-877-271-4176. About Centura HealthCentura Health connects individuals, families and neighborhoods across Colorado and western Kansas with more than 6,000 physicians and 17,100 of the best hearts and minds in health care. Through our 15 hospitals, six senior living communities, health neighborhoods, physician practices and clinics, home care and hospice services, and Flight For Life® Colorado, we are making the region’s best health care accessible and affordable in every community we serve. We believe you can inspire the people you care about to live healthier lives by encouraging them to do the little things that can make a big difference. We’re Centura Health, and we’re here for your health. For information on Centura Health or any of the facilities in our network, please visit www.centura.org.