Due to the current ASH-AHA merger discussions, the application process for the ASH Certified Hypertension Centers Program is suspended.

CRITERIA FOR ASH CERTIFIED HYPERTENSION CENTERS

The ASH Certified Hypertension Centers, which encompass both “Comprehensive Hypertension Centers” and “Hypertension Practice Centers,” have specific criteria and benefits associated with their accreditation.

Comprehensive Hypertension Centers Criteria:

1. Director Qualifications:
   • The director must hold the title of ASH Certified Specialist in Clinical Hypertension.
   • They should also have an academic appointment.
2. Membership and Recognition:
   • The director must be a current member of the American Society of Hypertension, Inc. (ASH) and hold the distinction of a Fellow of the American Society of Hypertension (FASH).
3. Patient Focus:
   • The majority of the practice’s focus should be on patients with hypertension and related disorders.
4. Referral and Treatment Role:
   • The center should be recognized as a referral and treatment resource for patients with resistant and secondary hypertension, as well as alternative therapies.
5. Staff Qualifications:
   • Personnel within the center should be certified in recording blood pressure and maintaining equipment, including equipment for patient self-monitoring.
6. Advanced Diagnostic Capabilities:
   • The center should be equipped with facilities for extensive multi-specialty examinations and treatments to assess complex hypertension cases. These may include tests such as quantitative echocardiography, exercise testing, ankle-brachial index assessment, carotid doppler, and evaluation of autonomic function.
7. Diagnostic Evaluation:
   • The center should have the capacity to perform various diagnostic evaluations, including renal angiography, renal vein renin sampling, Doppler renal ultrasound, CT Angiography, MR Angiography, and adrenal vein sampling for aldosterone.
8. Interventions:
   • The center may perform interventions such as renal angioplasty with or without stenting, laparoscopic adrenalectomy, and sleep studies.
9. Research and Quality Improvement:
   • The center should actively participate in investigator-initiated research and appropriate multi-center trials and observational studies.
   • The center should have an ongoing quality improvement program in accordance with standardized quality performance guidelines.
10. Educational Engagement:
    • Personnel within the center should be actively involved in ongoing hypertension-related educational activities.
    • They should participate in teaching hypertension to medical students, house officers, and fellows.
    • Encouragement of personnel to contribute to the publication of scholarly articles related to the field of hypertension and related disorders.

Practice Centers Criteria:

1. Director Qualifications:
   • The director must be an ASH Certified Specialist in Clinical Hypertension.
2. Membership and Recognition:
   • The director must be a current member of the American Society of Hypertension, Inc. (ASH) and hold the distinction of a Fellow of the American Society of Hypertension (FASH).
3. Patient Focus:
   • The majority of the practice’s focus should be on patients with hypertension and related disorders.
4. Referral and Treatment Role:
   • The center should be recognized as a referral and treatment resource for patients with resistant and secondary hypertension, as well as alternative therapies.
5. Staff Qualifications:
   • Personnel within the center should be certified in recording blood pressure and maintaining equipment, including equipment for patient self-monitoring.
6. Advanced Diagnostic Capabilities:
   • The center should have access to facilities for extensive multi-specialty examinations and treatments to assess complex hypertension cases.
7. Diagnostic Evaluation:
   • The center should have the capacity to perform various diagnostic evaluations, including renal angiography, renal vein renin sampling, Doppler renal ultrasound, CT Angiography, MR Angiography, and adrenal vein sampling for aldosterone.
8. Interventions:
   • The center may perform interventions such as renal angioplasty with or without stenting, laparoscopic adrenalectomy, and sleep studies.
9. Research and Quality Improvement:
   • The center should actively participate in investigator-initiated research and appropriate multi-center trials and observational studies.
   • The center should have an ongoing quality improvement program in accordance with standardized quality performance guidelines.
10. Educational Engagement:
    • Personnel within the center should be actively involved in ongoing hypertension-related educational activities.

Benefits for ASH Certified Hypertension Centers:

• Hypertension Specialists in ASH Certified Centers can bill Third Party Payers for reimbursement of appropriate Hypertension Services due to the approval of the Hypertension Taxonomy Code by the AMA.
• Centers receive a plaque and decals confirming their certification.
• They are listed in the national roster of ASH Certified Hypertension Centers on the ASH website.
• Centers have the opportunity to participate in clinical hypertension research.
• ASH provides Patient Information brochures and educational materials related to hypertension and its co-morbidities.
• ASH promotes Certified Centers to facilitate expansion and strengthening of the patient base and referrals.

Term as an ASH Certified Hypertension Center:

• Medical Practices approved as Comprehensive or Practice ASH Certified Centers of Excellence are approved for a five-year term.
• Medical Practices conditionally approved are given a two-year term.
• Approved Centers have the option to apply for re-designation one year before the conclusion of their approved term by submitting a self-study and scheduling an on-site evaluation.
• During the certification term, certified centers are required to submit an annual report and fee.