WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (May 9, 2025) – White Plains Hospital is the first and only hospital in New York State to earn the Comprehensive Heart Attack Care (CHAC) certification from The Joint Commission in collaboration with the American Heart Association (AHA). This prestigious certification is a testament to White Plains Hospital’s mission to delivering the highest level of cardiac care close to home for its community.
The CHAC certification is awarded to hospitals that demonstrate effective care at every level of cardiac treatment for patients. Achieving this quality designation means that White Plains Hospital has met the rigorous standards for providing consistent and optimal treatment for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) – including ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI), non-ST elevated myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), and unstable angina – as well as complications related to ACS, such as cardiac arrest and cardiogenic shock.
“We are incredibly proud to be the first hospital in New York State to receive the CHAC certification,” said Dr. Gregory Pontone, Director of Cardiology and Associate Medical Director of Ambulatory Quality and Physician Services at White Plains Hospital. “We have worked hard to bring complex cardiac care to our community so patients do not have to travel to receive the highest quality care. This recognition reflects the rapid evolution of the comprehensive Cardiac Services Program at White Plains Hospital, which now encompasses everything from cardiac surgery and structural heart to interventional cardiology and a world-class electrophysiology program to continue to meet the evolving medical needs of our community.”
“Having CHAC-certified hospitals in a community can help systems of care function more effectively, with clear direction on where to take patients,” said Dr. Edward Jauch, volunteer member of the American Heart Association Quality Certification Science Committee – which worked with The Joint Commission to create the CHAC certification – and chair of the Department of Research at UNC Health Sciences at Mountain Area Health Education Center in Asheville, North Carolina. “Because of the nation’s aging population and the importance of timely treatment, cardiac and stroke systems of care are more important than ever.”
Repeatedly earning The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval, White Plains Hospital has also been accredited by The Joint Commission for its spine surgery and total hip and total knee replacement programs, and is also certified as a thrombectomy-capable stroke center.
A full list of the Hospital’s awards and accreditations can be found here.
About White Plains Hospital
White Plains Hospital is a proud member of the Montefiore Health System, serving as its tertiary hub of advanced care in the Hudson Valley. The Hospital is a 292-bed not-for-profit healthcare organization with the primary mission of providing exceptional acute and preventive medical care to all people who live in, work in or visit Westchester County and its surrounding areas. White Plains Hospital has outpatient medical facilities across Westchester, including multispecialty practices in Armonk, Hawthorne, Larchmont, New Rochelle, Rye Brook, Somers, Yonkers and Yorktown Heights; and Scarsdale Medical Group locations in Harrison and Scarsdale.
The Hospital is fully accredited by the Joint Commission and in 2024, it received another 5-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) — the highest distinction offered by that federal agency for the third consecutive year. In addition, the Hospital received its third Magnet® designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a distinction held by only two percent of hospitals in the country. White Plains Hospital has consistently received the Outstanding Patient Experience Award from Healthgrades®, and in 2024 was awarded an “A” Safety Grade from the Leapfrog Group for the 13th consecutive time.