Silver Spring, Md. (May 18, 2016) – More patients diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension (PH) will receive care from accredited centers with the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA)’s announcement that two more centers have completed its rigorous review process. PH is increased pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs that can lead to death from right heart failure. The Pulmonary Hypertension Care Center (PHCC) program advances PHA’s mission of extending and improving the lives of people living with the disease.

The Pulmonary Hypertension Program at Seattle Children’s Hospital and the Advanced Lung Disease Program at the UC Davis Health System are the latest centers to complete review for the special accreditation.  PHA began its accreditation program two years ago and centers across the country are undergoing the review process. Since the launch of the PHA-accredited PH Care Center (PHCC) program, a total of 36 Center of Comprehensive Care (CCC) programs have now been accredited, including 31 adult programs and five pediatric programs.

Common symptoms of PH can include shortness of breath, fatigue and chest pain. The disease is often misdiagnosed and treated as another illness, such as asthma or COPD. Delays in diagnosis and treatment cost patients valuable time. However, the good news is that with early and accurate diagnosis, PH treatments extend and improve the quality of life for many patients.

As centers are accredited, they also agree to contribute to the Pulmonary Hypertension Association Registry (PHAR). The new patient registry is collecting data used to evaluate outcomes for people living with PH and help researchers learn more about the rare disease, leading to the possibility for new breakthroughs in treatment and quality of care. PHA designed its PHCC and PHAR initiatives to raise the level of care for patients living with PH.

Accreditation criteria are based on key measures of care for PH patients, including the program’s overall commitment to PH patients, scope of services provided and expertise of care team. Anticipated outcomes of the PHCC initiative include better informed patients and medical professionals, improved access to Centers with expertise in PH, and increased opportunities for research collaboration between Centers.

PHA’s Scientific Leadership Council (SLC) and the PHCC Oversight Committee set the criteria for PHCC accreditation. The SLC is composed of global leaders in the field of pulmonary hypertension including healthcare professionals and research scientists in medical centers recognized for excellence in care for patients with PH. For more information on PHCC, go to www.PHCareCenters.org or email PHCC@PHAssociation.org.

About the Pulmonary Hypertension Association

Headquartered in Silver Spring, Md., the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) is the country’s leading pulmonary hypertension organization. PHA’s mission is to extend and improve the lives of those affected by PH; its vision is a world without PH, empowered by hope. PHA achieves this by connecting and working together with the entire PH community of patients, families; health care professionals and researchers. For more information and to learn how you can support PH patients, visit www.PHAssociation.org and connect with PHA on Twitter and Instagram @PHAssociation and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PulmonaryHypertensionAssociation.

###

PRESS CONTACT:

 

PH Bill