The aim of this study was determine whether hospitals accredited by the Society of
Chest Pain Centers hospitals (accredited chest pain centers [ACPCs]) are associated
with better performance regarding Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services core
measures for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) than nonaccredited hospitals. The study
was a retrospective, observational cohort study of hospitals reporting Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services core measures for AMI from January 1, 2005, to December
31, 2005, on the basis of the presence or absence of Society of Chest Pain Centers
accreditation. Data were obtained from the Web sites of the Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services (Hospital Compare), Society of Chest Pain Centers listings, and
the American Hospital Directory. Groups were compared in terms of demographics and
mean percentage compliance with all 8 AMI core measures. Student's t test, chi-square
analysis, and logistic regression were used to analyze bivariate relations. Multivariate
logistic regression models used a propensity-score adjustment factor. Of the 4,197
hospitals that reported core measures for AMI, 178 (4%) were accredited and 4,019
(96%) were not. ACPCs had been accredited for an average of 12 months and were larger
(378 vs 204 beds), more often teaching hospitals (52% vs 30%), and more often urban
(95% vs 69%) (all p <0.0001). There were 395,250 patients with AMIs, of whom 55,418
(14%) presented to ACPCs and 339,832 (86%) presented to nonaccredited hospitals. There
was significantly greater compliance with all 8 AMI core measures at ACPCs (p <0.0001),
except for lytic therapy <30 minutes after arrival (p = 0.04), for which unadjusted
performance was the same. In conclusion, ACPCs were associated with better compliance
with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services core measures and saw a greater proportion
of patients with AMIs.