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About PH Care Centers2023-08-29T11:18:44-04:00

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

Patient Perspectives on Palliative Care for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Population: People with pulmonary arterial hypertension Start Date: September 19, 2023 End Date: October 31, 2023 Phase: Non-interventional Institution: RTI Health Solutions Study Website:   url This is a non-interventional, cross-sectional, web-based survey of adult patients with PAH in the United States (US). The

Meet the 2023 PHA Early Career Mentor Scientist Awardee

Roopa Siddaiah, MD, FAAP, will receive the 2023 Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) Early Career Mentored Scientist Award. Dr. Siddiah is an associate professor of pediatrics at the Penn State College of Medicine.Dr. Siddaiah’s project, “Predictors of Pulmonary Hypertension Associated Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia,” will explore the early diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Pathlight Explores New PAH Treatments, Other Pathways to Hope

The latest issue of the Pulmonary Hypertension Association’s member magazine explores Pathways to Hope – through support groups, specialized PH clinics, self-advocacy, new medications and more. The fall 2022 Pathlight cover story examines three promising new pulmonary arterial hypertension treatments. Pathlight is available exclusively to PHA members. Read more about this inspiring issue.

PHA’s ‘Beauty’ and ‘Beast’ Battle for O2breathe Bragging Rights

Two of the Pulmonary Hypertension Association’s own, Kevin Heyen and Pat Reilly, recently competed for the most money raised and best 5K time at the Chicago O2breathe Walk and 5K. Their Beauty vs. the Beast challenge raised about $2,300 for PHA services and programs. Overall, the Sept. 9 event raised $12,848 and drew 100 people. Read the story to find out who gets bragging rights.

Going to PHPN Symposium? Network with PHA at the Opening Reception

If you’re attending PHA’s Pulmonary Hypertension Professional Network Symposium in person, mark your calendar for several must-attend onsite events. To start, join us for the opening reception on Sept. 28. After opening remarks, network with friends and colleagues while discovering ways to get or stay involved with the Pulmonary Hypertension Association. Immediately after the opening reception, PHA will host a Meet the Mentor reception. All attendees are welcome at both receptions.

Don’t Miss PHA Live Webinar on Pulmonary Fibrosis-Related PH

Join the Pulmonary Hypertension Association at 2 p.m. EDT, today, Thursday, Sept. 14 for the PHA Live webinar, "Understanding the Connection between Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and PH. Pulmonary fibrosis is a kind of lung disease related to the network of tissue that support air sacs in the lungs. About a third of the people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis develop PH. Our speakers, Navneet Singh, MD, MBA, and Christopher King, MD, will give an overview of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Workshop Attendees: ‘Knowledge Is Power’ to Manage PH

Pamela and Johnie Myers returned from the Pulmonary Hypertension Association’s most recent regional workshop armed with ideas. “I like taking notes to take back to my wife’s doctors because they’re always curious about what we learn,” Johnie says. The Myerses were among 70 people who attended the July 29 PHA Connects: PH Community Workshop July 29 in Boston. Find out what other attendees, including the Apostoloff and Greg families, had to say about the workshop.

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