Sutter’s CPMC Earns Highest Cardiac Certification
Sep 3, 2026
Shawn Kramer

Sutter’s CPMC Kanbar Cardiac Care Center in San Francisco has earned its first Comprehensive Cardiac Center Certification from The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association. CPMC is now among only four hospitals in Northern California and 29 hospitals nationwide to achieve the distinction and becomes the third Sutter hospital to earn the certification, joining Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento and Sutter’s Mills-Peninsula Medical Center.

“For patients, the designation signals access to a highly coordinated approach to care at a time when cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in California and across the United States,” said Hollie Seely, CEO, CPMC. “Whether patients require preventive services, innovative procedures, cardiac rehabilitation or ongoing disease management, the certification recognizes CPMC’s ability to connect care across specialties, settings and stages of treatment.”

The Joint Commission Comprehensive Cardiac Center Certification graphicThe certification is the highest level of cardiac recognition offered by The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association. Earning the designation reflects years of work by CPMC physicians, nurses and multidisciplinary care teams to strengthen cardiovascular care and improve outcomes. Hospitals must demonstrate excellence in caring for a broad range of heart and vascular conditions while continuously measuring performance, improving quality and safety, and ensuring patients have access to the services and specialists they need throughout their care journey.

Recent CPMC achievements:

  • Healthgrades America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Coronary Intervention (2026)
  • #4 in California for Cardiology Services by Healthgrades (2026)
  • #4 in California for Coronary Intervention by Healthgrades (2026)
  • U.S. News & World Report High Performing for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair, Heart Attack, Heart Arrhythmia, Heart Bypass Surgery, Heart Failure, and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (2026-2027)
  • Healthgrades Cardiac Care Excellence Award (2025)
  • Healthgrades Coronary Intervention Excellence Award (2025)
  • Healthgrades Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Heart Attack (2025)
  • Healthgrades Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Heart Failure (2025)

The achievement also reflects decades of investment in the Kanbar Cardiac Care Center, including significant philanthropic support from the Kanbar family through the CPMC Foundation. The longstanding partnership has helped advance cardiovascular services and strengthen care for patients across the region.

Part of a Broader Commitment to Heart & Vascular Care

“CPMC’s certification is one example of the strength and scale of cardiovascular care across Sutter,” said Dr. Michael Pham, chair of Sutter Health’s Advanced Heart & Vascular Service Line. “Across Northern California, we’re building a more connected cardiovascular network that combines broad community access with advanced, complex care. We continue to invest in the people, programs and technology needed to deliver high-quality care across that full spectrum.”

In 2025, more than 488,000 patients received heart and vascular care through Sutter’s network of 21 hospitals, six cardiac surgery programs and more than 60 outpatient care centers. Patients have access to a broad range of services ranging from cardiovascular disease prevention, transcatheter valve repair and replacement, heart transplantation, specialized heart failure care and coordinated remote cardiac monitoring. Sutter has performed more than 800 heart transplants since 1984 and supports approximately 17,000 patients through its Cardiac Device Management Center.

Recent service line achievements:

For more information about Sutter’s advanced heart & vascular services, visit: https://www.sutterhealth.org/services/heart-and-vascular.

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