About PH Care Centers2023-09-26T11:12:13-04:00

Pulmonary Hypertension Care Centers

The Pulmonary Hypertension Association’s Scientific Leadership Council, 28 global leaders in the field of pulmonary hypertension, have spearheaded the PHA-Accredited PH Care Centers (PHCC) initiative to establish a program for accreditation of centers with special expertise in pulmonary hypertension (PH), particularly pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), to raise the overall quality of care and outcomes in patients with this life-threatening disease.

Why Accreditation is Needed

Once considered rapidly fatal, PAH can now be treated with many medications, all developed in just the past two decades. Despite medical advances, the median time from onset of symptoms to PAH diagnosis is still 1.1 years, and many patients will see three or more different physicians over this period before they are properly diagnosed. Since early 2011, PHA’s Scientific Leadership Council has developed the PHCC initiative to assure outstanding care in pulmonary hypertension.

More Information

Doctor with patient

The PHA-Accredited PH Care Centers (PHCC) program is an initiative of PHA’s Scientific Leadership Council to accredit centers in the U.S. in order to raise the level of care for individuals with pulmonary hypertension (PH). Accreditation is based on a center’s overall commitment to PH patients, breadth of involved health care professionals and scope of services provided.

How to Find a PH Specialist In the PHCC Network

PHA has created a map to assist in locating a PHCC near you.

Map of accredited PH care centers

PH specialists in the PHCC network also can be found in our Doctors Who Treat PH directory. They will be designated as part of an accredited PH program in your search.

How PH Care Centers Are Expected to Improve Your Medical Care

  • Patients are better informed about comprehensive PH care
  • Patients have improved access to Centers with expertise in PH
  • Patients experience less time between symptom onset and diagnosis
  • A medical community better informed about standards of PH care
  • Therapies are appropriately used to improve long-term outcomes
  • Increased opportunities for collaboration between Centers for clinical care and PH research

The Two Types of Centers

Two types of centers are accredited: Centers of Comprehensive Care (CCC) and Regional Clinical Programs (RCP). Both accredited CCCs and RCPs will have demonstrated a commitment to providing expert-level care based on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) consensus guidelines.

PHA Centers of Comprehensive Care

Centers of Comprehensive Care

A PHA-Accredited Center of Comprehensive Care is a highly organized, full-time PH Center that proficiently evaluates PH patients based on published evidence-based guidelines and also provides expert treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients with all of the FDA-approved therapies. CCCs also make important contributions to PH research and education.

PHA Regional Clinical Program

Regional Clinical Programs

A PHA-Accredited Regional Clinical Program is a regional PH Center that proficiently evaluates PH patients based on published evidence-based guidelines and also provides expert treatment of PAH patients with all non-parenteral therapies. An RCP must collaborate with its regional CCCs by referring patients that may benefit from opportunities unavailable at the RCP, including the initiation of advanced parenteral therapies and participation in clinical research protocols.

Developing and Implementing the PHCC Program

In September 2011, members of the PHA Board of Trustees, the PHA Scientific Leadership Council, and other key stakeholders in the PH community approved the PHCC initiative in concept. A steering committee and task forces were organized and staffed to address accreditation criteria, program implementation, registry development, communication to key stakeholders and financial sustainability. The members below provided valuable contributions, which include: researching, accumulating and documenting information, developing logic models, defining action steps, building financial projections and validating the program content.

Murali Chakinala, MD (PHCC Chair) Washington University in Saint Louis
Rino Aldrighetti PHA
Richard Channick, MD Harvard Medical School
C. Gregory Elliott, MD University of Utah
Serpil Erzurum, MD The Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Karen Fagan, MD University of South Alabama
Bob Gray PHA
Michael Patrick Gray, MPH PHA
Carl Hicks PHA
Wendy Hill, RN, MSN VA Greater LA Healthcare System
Steven Kawut, MD, MS (Patient Registry Task Force Chair) University of Pennsylvania
Vallerie McLaughlin, MD University of Michigan
Stephen Mathai, MD, MHS Johns Hopkins University
Olivia Onyeador, MHA PHA
Ron Oudiz, MD (Criteria Task Force Chair) Harbor UCLA Medical Center
Abby Poms, RRT, RCP (Implementation Task Force Co-Chair) Duke University
Jeffrey Sager, MD, MSCE Cottage Hospital
Robert Schilz, DO, PhD Case Western Reserve University
Traci Stewart, RN, MSN University of Iowa
Darren Taichman, MD University of Pennsylvania
Victor Tapson, MD Cedars-Sinai
Corey Ventetuolo, MD, MS Brown University
Joel Wirth, MD (Implementation Task Force Co-Chair) Maine Medical Center
Roham Zamanian, MD (Funding Task Force Chair) Stanford University

PHCC Initiative Mission Statement

The purpose of the PHA-Accredited Pulmonary Hypertension Care Centers (PHCC) initiative is to establish a program of accredited centers with expertise in pulmonary hypertension that aspires to improve overall quality of care and ultimately improve outcomes of patients with pulmonary hypertension, particularly pulmonary arterial hypertension, a rare and life-threatening group of diseases.

Why the Need for Accreditation?

Despite the availability and success of PAH-targeted therapeutic options over the past two decades, there are still shortcomings with the diagnosis and management of PAH. One recent study observed that expert recommended diagnostic algorithms were not being followed to completion in up to 94% of PAH patients, and nearly 60% of PAH referrals to expert centers already on therapy were on so contrary to published guidelines. In addition, despite the available medical therapies, long-term outcomes are still not optimal as many patients still die from PH, require transplantation or require hospitalization.

PH Care Centers: What You Need to Know

Two types of centers are be accredited: Centers of Comprehensive Care (CCC) and Regional Clinical Programs (RCP). Please note that applications for Pediatric Regional Clinical Programs are not currently being accepted. Learn more about the PH Care Centers initiative:

PHCC News and Research

PHA Accredits 100th PH Care Center

Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, became the 100th PHA-accredited Pulmonary Hypertension Care Center in April. Children’s Mercy is one of 3 pediatric Regional Clinical Programs in PHA’s care center network. “We trust accreditation will give patients and families confidence in the care we provide,” said Kate Carp, PH clinical nurse coordinator at Children’s Mercy.

Join Us in Celebrating World PH Day

Please join PHA in observing World Pulmonary Hypertension Day on May 5. World PH Day is a global effort to raise PH awareness. Led by PHA Europe, this year’s campaign “Sometimes it’s Pulmonary Hypertension,” draws attention to the challenges of getting an accurate diagnosis. The campaign brings together people from around the world to shed light on the frustrating, frightening journey patients experience before hearing “It’s PH.”

Piper With PH Marches Onward

Carole Doody's passion, playing the bagpipes, saved her life. When she no longer could play the right tones or march, Doody knew something was wrong. Fifteen years after her PH diagnosis, the retired speech-language pathologist volunteers for PHA. She shares her story in honor of National Volunteer Week, which wraps up April 26.

Pulmonary Hypertension Association Launches Certificate Program for Advanced Practice Providers and Allied Health Professionals

The Pulmonary Hypertension Association has launched a new certificate program for advanced practice providers and allied health professionals. The Pulmonary Hypertension Certificate program is designed to build specialized knowledge in the diagnosis, treatment and management of pulmonary hypertension.

‘Sometimes It’s Pulmonary Hypertension’: Global Community Unites for World PH Day 2025

The Pulmonary Hypertension Association will join more than 80 organizations globally on Monday, May 5, to recognize World Pulmonary Hypertension Day.  This year, PHA joins the global campaign, “Sometimes It’s Pulmonary Hypertension,” to highlight the challenges patients face in getting an accurate diagnosis.

Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School

The Burke Advanced Fellowship in Pulmonary Heart Disease at The Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School—invites applications for an advanced fellowship in pulmonary heart disease starting July 1, 2025. This training program is sponsored by the Center for Pulmonary Heart Disease at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital.