Post-acute cardiovascular and stroke care and the potential of certification programs: A 'Call to Action'

Over 40% of patients are discharged to post-acute care services which serve predominantly older adults with cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease and substantial age-related complexity. Post-acute care settings are often siloed from the broader healthcare system, creating care gaps, suboptimal outcomes, and higher-than-average readmission rates. As value-based care models increasingly emphasize holistic, equitable care for an aging population, post-acute care represents a major opportunity for improvement, including the use of preventive strategies and standardized, evidence-based processes. Certification programs in post-acute care could strengthen patient and family engagement in prevention and wellness, integrate routine geriatric assessments, and promote consistent application of personalized clinical practice guidelines following cardiovascular events and stroke. The American Heart Association (AHA)/American Stroke Association (ASA) is well suited to lead this effort, with a strong history of building registries, accreditation frameworks, and recognition programs that elevate guideline-recommended heart and stroke care. Leveraging new tools and data systems, the AHA/ASA is generating the evidence needed to support widespread post-acute care certification, with the goal of improving care quality and long-term outcomes for patients transitioning from acute hospitalization.