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In response to the recent CMS Proposed Decision Memo to repeal the National Coverage Determination for cardiac catheterization performed in other than a hospital setting, CCA is supporting efforts to establish a non-profit organization known as the Cardiovascular Outpatient Center Alliance, or “COCA”, to fill the gap exposed by the AHRQ Technology Assessment of Non-Hospital Cath Labs. We acknowledge the need for a national registry of non-hospital cath labs in the United States, and recognize the need for compliance of non-hospital cath labs with accreditation programs to document and report safety and outcomes. The number of outpatient labs that participate in established accreditation programs such as Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) is unknown. COCA is being created to collect and report clinical and financial information about outpatient cath labs to demonstrate their safety and positive economic impact on the healthcare system.
COCA’s vision is to achieve the highest quality of healthcare delivery in cardiovascular outpatient centers.
COCA’s mission will be:
- Benchmarking and Peer Review: Collect, analyze, and report clinical data for maintaining and improving quality of care
- Political Advocacy: Collaborate with the Cardiology Advocacy Alliance in cooperation with the ACC, SCAI, Cardiology Leadership Alliance, and MedAxiom to lobby CMS, other payers, and Congress regarding common issues such as the proposed decision by CMS to repeal coverage for cardiac catheterization performed in a non-hospital setting
- Universal Accreditation: Serve as a resource to assist members who are not yet accredited to gain accreditation
- Clinical Trial Development: Organize clinical trials to address clinical quality issues in outpatient cardiovascular centers to satisfy CMS and other interested parties
- Represent the Highest Quality: Membership will symbolize the highest quality to payers and public
- Networking: Members will learn from peer-to-peer interactions
CCA will schedule an organizing meeting for COCA in January 2006. Until the formal creation of COCA, CCA will use this website to post information regarding the organization. If you are interested in becoming a founding member of COCA, please contact Steve Blades at sblades@ccacardio.com.
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