North Shore University Hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Advanced Certification in Ventricular Assist Device destination therapy, paving the way for state-of- the-art surgical treatment options for patients suffering from end-stage heart failure. The hospital is the first and only to receive the Joint Commission’s certification for a program of its kind in Nassau County.
A new approach, left ventricular assisted device “destination therapy,” is an alternative to heart transplantation for patients with severe heart failure who are unable to receive a transplant.
The LVAD is a surgically implanted mechanical circulatory pump that assists the heart’s weakened left ventricle, restoring blood flow throughout the body. The pump is connected to an external, battery-powered, pocket-sized controller by a small cable that exits through the skin in the lower abdomen.
“With Joint Commission advanced LVAD certification, we are making a significant step toward maintaining excellence and continually improving the care and quality of life for patients with advanced heart failure who do not have any other treatment options available to them,” Dr. Alessandro Bellucci, NSUH’s executive director, said. “This is an exceptional achievement by our cardiac team because surgeons, cardiologists, nurses and other specialists of Northwell Health’s Advanced Heart Failure Program only established the LVAD program nine months ago.”
Heading Northwell’s Advanced Heart Failure Program are Dr. Gerin R. Stevens, system director of cardiomyopathy; Dr. Harold Fernandez, surgical director, and chief of cardiothoracic surgery at Southside Hospital; and Dr. David T. Majure, medical director of the LVAD program at NSUH.
To earn the distinction of LVAD certification, a program undergoes an extensive on-site evaluation by a team of Joint Commission reviewers every two years. The voluntary evaluation uses national standards to assess clinical processes and the ability to evaluate and improve care, and includes interviews with patients and staff.
