October 3, 2014 — The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has determined that clinical sites that wish to participate in the newly announced CREST-2 carotid artery stenting (CAS) registry must receive accreditation. Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence (ACE) is a designated organization to provide these reviews. The objective of the CREST-2 Registry is to promote the rapid initiation and completion of enrollment in the CREST-2 randomized clinical trial. Patients with severe symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid artery occlusive disease will be treated with CAS performed by experienced and skilled interventionists.
Interventionists' eligibility will be determined by the multi-specialty CREST-2 Interventional Management Committee. Patient eligibility will include patients with conventional or high risk, symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid artery disease. Individual interventionist safety and quality results from the CREST-2 Registry will help guide selection of interventionists for participation in the CREST-2 randomized clinical trial. Enrollment into the CREST-2 Registry will begin in 2014.
"ACE accreditation process demonstrates a program's commitment to achieving the highest standards of care," says Bonnie H. Weiner, M.D., MSEC, MBA, MSCAI, FACC, and ACE's chief medical officer. "ACE is proud to be an organization recognized by CMS to improve quality outcomes by providing expert guidance to facilities seeking accreditation for CAS."
Citing national accreditation and external review as an accepted strategy for program quality assurance, ACE is viewed as the standard-bearer for achieving quality metrics in CAS. ACE delivers unique programs that help facilities comply with documentation to meet Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) while elevating the performance of interventional catheterization labs by integrating standardized care. The result is a cost-effective program that mitigates risk.
For more information: www.cvexcel.org
November 12, 2025 
