Three centers, the Allegheny General Hospital, Children’s Hospital Colorado Pulmonary Hypertension Program, and Comprehensive Pulmonary Hypertension Center, have completed the accreditation review process of the Pulmonary Hypertension Association.
Three Pulmonary Hypertension Care Centers (PHCCs) have recently completed the Pulmonary Hypertension Association’s rigorous accreditation review process. The newly accredited centers join 26 U.S. healthcare facilities to receive the Pulmonary Hypertension Association’s prestigious accreditation since last year when the new review program launched.
Centers undergoing the accreditation process are healthcare facilities seeking to improve overall care and outcomes for people with pulmonary hypertension (PH). PH, specifically pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), is a debilitating disease of the lungs that affects the functioning of the heart and can lead to right heart failure.
In its nearly 25 years, PHA’s work has led to significant advances in PH care, including the availability of 12 FDA-approved treatments. However, the association continues to fight for earlier and more accurate diagnosis. With symptoms like shortness of breath and chest pains, PH patients often receive a misdiagnosis, going months believing they have asthma or another less-threatening disease. Many patients will see three or more physicians before they are properly diagnosed. Without treatment, the average survival is less than three years.
