Tampa General Hospital Crystal River Earns Latest Renewal of Chest Pain Center Reaccreditation from the American College of Cardiology

National recognition affirms TGH Crystal River’s sustained commitment to delivering rapid, lifesaving cardiac care for residents of Citrus County and surrounding communities.  

Tampa, FL (Aug. 5, 2026) – Tampa General Hospital Crystal River has earned its latest renewal of Chest Pain Center Reaccreditation with Primary PCI from the American College of Cardiology (ACC), a nationally recognized distinction reflecting the hospital’s continued delivery of high-quality, evidence-based cardiac care. The hospital first applied for Chest Pain Center Accreditation in December 2016 and, following the ACC’s initial application and site review process, received accreditation recognition in 2018. Since then, the hospital has maintained the credential through successive renewal cycles. The latest renewal extends the hospital’s accreditation through June 2029. 

Primary PCI, or Percutaneous Coronary Intervention, is a minimally invasive procedure used to quickly open blocked coronary arteries during a heart attack. Often referred to as emergency angioplasty, the procedure restores blood flow to the heart, minimizing damage to the heart muscle and improving patient outcomes. Reaccreditation with Primary PCI recognizes hospitals that maintain the personnel, processes and capabilities necessary to deliver this time-sensitive treatment consistently and at the highest standard. 

Following its latest comprehensive review, ACC Accreditation Services determined that Tampa General Hospital Crystal River successfully met all requirements for continued Chest Pain Center Accreditation with Primary PCI. The ACC also commended the hospital's multidisciplinary cardiovascular team for its dedication to continuous quality improvement and patient care.

“This reaccreditation reflects our ongoing commitment to ensuring patients in Citrus County and the surrounding region have access to exceptional cardiac care close to home,” said Linda Stockton, senior vice president and president of Tampa General Crystal River. “It recognizes the extraordinary teamwork among our emergency physicians, nurses, cardiac specialists, EMS partners and rehabilitation professionals who work together every day to provide timely, lifesaving care,” Stockton said.

The ACC highlighted several strengths during its review, including:
• Comprehensive STEMI (ST-elevation myocardial infarction) response drills conducted across multiple care settings.
• Strong collaboration with emergency medical services and a focus on continuous performance improvement.
• Community outreach and education efforts focused on heart health awareness, CPR training and early recognition of heart attack and stroke symptoms.
• Expansion of advanced cardiovascular services, including CardioMEMS monitoring and Impella-supported care.
• Consistent achievement of national benchmarks for rapid treatment of heart attack patients.

“This accreditation is a direct reflection of the multidisciplinary coordination and relentless commitment to quality that our team brings to cardiac care every single day,” said Laurie Calcagino, MSN, RN, chief quality officer at Tampa General Crystal River. “For patients and families in Citrus County, it means they can trust that when a cardiac emergency occurs, the protocols, the people and the technology here meet the same rigorous national standards upheld by the most respected health systems in the country. That assurance is what drives everything we do,” Calcagino said.

This distinction builds on the broader strength of the Tampa General Heart & Vascular Institute. According to U.S. News & World Report’s 2026-2027 Best Hospitals rankings, Tampa General was recognized as the #1 hospital in the Tampa Bay region for Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery and ranked among the nation’s top 100 hospitals in that specialty.  Together, these recognitions reflect a coordinated academic health system dedicated to bringing advanced, evidence-based cardiac care to patients throughout Florida's West Coast.