Catholic Health Receives Highest Designation by International Cardio-Oncology Society for Excellence in Quality and Standards of Care

Catholic Health has been recognized as a Center of Excellence and awarded “gold status” designation by the International Cardio-Oncology Society (ICOS). This certification places Catholic Health’s Cardio-Oncology programs among a small group internationally known for its quality of care, standards of care, quality metrics, and program improvements.

This designation was awarded based on large clinical volume driven by new clinics launched at St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center®, Good Samaritan University Hospital and Mercy Hospital, research contributions, and various quality improvement projects. Catholic Health’s Cardio-Oncology programs are led by Syed Saad Mahmood, MD, system director of Cardio-Oncology at Catholic Health, and Dr. Richard Shlofmitz, chairman of cardiovascular services and chairman of cardiology at St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center®.

“Catholic Health is proud to receive this prestigious designation from the International Cardio-Oncology Society,” said Dr. Shlofmitz. “We strive to provide quality care to all of our cardio-oncology patients, so it’s very fulfilling to see the hard work of our staff members paying off. I would like to congratulate this outstanding team for this well-deserved recognition.”

Over the last several years, the cardio-oncology field has grown as research has been conducted and cancer therapies have become more successful. With increased life expectancy, cancer is now recognized as a chronic disease, as evidenced by a growing number of cancer survivors that currently exceeds 11 million. With further improvement in cancer therapy, this number will likely increase, and as the numbers of survivors grow, so does the number of patients who are living with cancer-related cardiotoxicity.

“Catholic Health’s advanced and innovative program stood out to ICOS evaluators as a leader in the marketplace for cardiac cancer care,” said Steve Casselli, Executive Director, International Cardio-Oncology Society. “We now have millions of long-term cancer survivors, and an inordinate number of them end up with cardiovascular problems, often affecting their mortality.  Catholic Health clearly has shown that their clinical teams effectively help their patients to manage their evolving care needs.”

Learn more about the Cardio-Oncology program.