St. Vincent’s Riverside has been recognized by the American College of Cardiology for its demonstrated expertise and commitment in treating patients receiving transcatheter valve repair and replacement procedures.
The hospital was awarded Transcatheter Valve Certification; it is the only facility in Northeast Florida to have earned this certification.
“Patients expect superior cardiovascular care at our hospital and this certification underscores our commitment to the health of our communities,” said Scott Kashman, president and CEO of St. Vincent's Riverside. “We are ensuring our patients receive high quality care with the physicians and care teams they trust without having to leave their community.”
This certification focuses on the essential quality components pertaining to transcatheter valve aortic replacement procedures (TAVR) and now includes Mitraclip, which is used in a minimally-invasive procedure to repair a patient’s mitral valve, which opens to let blood flow from the left atrium to the left ventricle in the heart. During the procedure, doctors access the mitral valve with a catheter that is guided through a vein in the leg to reach the heart. A small implanted clip is attached to the mitral valve to help it close more completely. This helps to restore normal blood flow through a patient’s heart.
Unlike surgery, the procedure does not require opening the chest and temporarily stopping the heart. On average, this minimally-invasive procedure takes between one and three hours. Plus, most patients go home within one to three days.
“Our cardiologists are experienced in providing the specialized care our patients need,” said Dr. Samer Garas, director of cardiovascular services at St. Vincent’s Riverside. “This certification reaffirms our commitment to providing the best outcomes for anyone who comes to us for help.”
The Transcather Valve Certification is an external review and certification process that pairs with established national clinical databases to monitor patient safety and real-world outcomes related to transcatheter valve therapies.
“St. Vincent’s Riverside has demonstrated its commitment to providing Northeast Florida with excellent heart care,” said Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, chair of the ACC Accreditation Management Board. “ACC Accreditation Services is proud to award St. Vincent’s Riverside with Transcatheter Valve Certification.”
St. Vincent’s Riverside was named a Best Regional Hospital by the U.S. News and World Report’s Best Hospital Rankings for 2024-2025. St. Vincent’s was also named a top 15 health system in the country for 2024 by Fortune and PINC AI.
For more information on cardiology at St. Vincent’s Riverside, go to ascension.org.
