LCMC Health's East Jefferson General Hospital Achieves VAD Accreditation

LCMC Health is proud to announce that East Jefferson General Hospital (EJGH) has received its Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) accreditation from DNV, one of the world’s leading certification, assurance and risk management providers.

“This significant achievement underscores our commitment to providing advanced cardiac care,” said EJGH President and CEO Greg Nielsen. “I’m grateful for our team for putting in the necessary work over this past year to get us here today. With this new accreditation and our expert staff, we will continue providing innovative, life-saving care to all our patients.”

A VAD is a small mechanical pump that supports heart function and helps maintain blood flow in individuals with weakened hearts. These devices are often utilized for patients experiencing advanced heart failure who are not deriving sufficient benefit from medications alone. VADs may serve as short-term therapy while patients await a heart transplant or as a long-term solution to enhance heart function. The benefits include improved quality of life, extended life expectancy, better overall heart health and increased mobility and independence.

“The growth of our service line is a testament to our strategic focus on innovation, excellence and meeting the evolving needs of our community,” said Corporate Vice President of Cardiovascular Services Olivia Fleming. “Achieving VAD certification marks a pivotal step in our journey to expand advanced heart failure services and establish East Jefferson General Hospital as a regional leader in comprehensive cardiovascular care.”

The accreditation process is patient-centered, evidence-based and multidisciplinary. It also demonstrates a commitment to continual improvement and sustainable business performance. EJGH began its journey toward this crucial accreditation in April. Heart and lung transplant surgeon Dr. Jamil Borgi, along with advanced heart failure specialist Dr. Sasa Vukelic, spearheaded this effort, culminating in successful accreditation in November.

This accreditation was also realized through LCMC Health’s partnership with Tulane University, which was finalized January 2023 and included an initial capital investment of $220 million to three LCMC hospitals, including EJGH. Marking a significant step forward in community healthcare and academic medicine, the goal of this collaboration has been to increase access to comprehensive and specialty care across the region while advancing groundbreaking research, innovative technology and lifesaving treatments, like VADs.