A systemic approach to cardiac service line safety

Among Surgical Care Affiliates’ (SCA) 260-plus facilities in the US, at least 10% have added cardiovascular/peripheral vascular service capabilities. SCA experts anticipate more growth in this area. However, any successful launch starts with an organizational focus on patient safety, says Ezra Erb, vice president for clinical quality at SCA, which is based in Deerfield, Illinois, and in Birmingham, Alabama, and serves 1 million patients annually. “Safety integrates with our overall patient program. This includes our single and multi-specialty facilities that are starting to perform cardiac procedures with other lines,” says Erb.