Joint Commission Press Release (01/29/26)

Joint Commission is launching a new outcomes-focused cardiac care certification in partnership with the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC). The certification will use data already collected through the STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database, the ACC CathPCI Registry, and the joint STS/ACC TVT Registry to directly link certification to real-world clinical performance. By integrating these trusted national registries - covering cardiac surgery, catheterization and percutaneous coronary interventions, and transcatheter valve therapies - the program aims to reduce administrative burden, strengthen quality measurement, and shift certification from structural checklists toward meaningful patient-outcome metrics. Leaders from all three organizations emphasize that the collaboration will help hospitals demonstrate excellence, support evidence-based decision-making, and improve patient confidence in cardiac care. Joint Commission plans to begin working with organizations interested in the new certification in early 2026.

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