ACC Electrophysiology (EP) Accreditation is a program of the American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) Accreditation Services that measures an EP program against the ACCF Program Requirements and the EP criteria, with a site review and an award that runs three years. This page is for electrophysiology laboratory administrators launching a program or pursuing an ACC or related certification route. Integral Healthcare Solutions (IHS) builds your EP program manual structure and accreditation evidence; your electrophysiologists own clinical protocols.
Last reviewed: October 2026.
What is ACC Electrophysiology Accreditation?
ACC describes it this way: "Electrophysiology Accreditation provides your organization with a structured, data-driven framework to standardize processes, strengthen multidisciplinary collaboration and drive continuous quality improvement across EP services" (ACC, Electrophysiology Accreditation).
The governing texts:
- The ACCF Accreditation Services Program Requirements, REV 5.1, posted 03/16/2026, section "For Electrophysiology ("EP") Accreditation". The document's requirements apply to each program on ACC's list, Electrophysiology among them.
- The ACC Accreditation / Certification Services Agreement. By signing it and indicating its programs, a facility "agrees to comply with the Agreement and this Program Requirements document" (REV 5.1).
- The EP application and criteria inside ACC's online tool.
ACC monitors outcome measures for EP programs. Its EP page lists "Same-day discharge rates, pericardial effusion/tamponade rates, bleeding and vascular complications, device infection rates, [and] 30-day readmission rates" (ACC). ACC also states that "Every facility is paired with an Accreditation Review Specialist (ARS) who serves as a dedicated partner throughout your accreditation process."
Who needs it and what triggers it
The buyers are electrophysiology laboratory administrators. The triggers in the sources:
- Registry participation. "The Facility must demonstrate active participation in the NCDR EP Device Implant Registry™, the NCDR LAAO Registry™, or the NCDR AFib Ablation Registry™" (REV 5.1).
- Starting the clock. "The BGA timeline is the sixty (60)-day phase that begins the day ACCF notifies the Key Contact, via email, that the Accreditation process has begun (access)." Then: "Submission of the Application is expected within twelve (12) months of receiving access to the online tool. Early submission of the application is encouraged" (REV 5.1).
- Re-accreditation. "The Facility understands Accreditation is granted for three (3) years," and ACC strongly recommends the re-accreditation application "no later than six (6) months before its Anniversary Date" (REV 5.1).
- Outpatient settings. ACC's program list also includes "Outpatient Center Cardiac Cath Lab with EP Devices" and "Outpatient Center Cardiac Cath Lab with PCI & EP Devices" (REV 5.1).
How IHS helps
- A gap assessment against the ACC Program Requirements and the EP criteria in your ACC tool, using questionnaires on roles, credentials, implant follow-up and quality review.
- Document and evidence mapping: a program manual structure and a crosswalk from each criterion to the record that shows you meet it.
- Drafted credential-evidence procedures, follow-up responsibilities and quality-review records, which your electrophysiologists review and approve.
- A mock review against the criteria.
- Readiness support: a submission plan for your team, and drafted responses to findings.
What you supply: the ACC requirements, credentials, device follow-up data, protocols, and every clinical decision.
The limit: procedural and device protocols are cardiology work, and adult and pediatric programs are scoped separately. IHS does not submit to ACC or correspond with ACC on your behalf. Your facility submits.
What to have ready
This is the list we would ask for first, each item tied to the text that requires it. Citations are to the ACCF Accreditation Services Program Requirements, REV 5.1 (posted 03/16/2026) unless noted.
- Evidence of active participation in the NCDR EP Device Implant Registry, the NCDR LAAO Registry or the NCDR AFib Ablation Registry.
- The named contacts ACC requires: "Each Facility must designate and provide contact information for each Accreditation Program," including a Key Contact, Executive Sponsor, Invoicing/Payment Contact, Marketing Contact and at least one Accreditation User.
- A signed Accreditation / Certification Services Agreement.
- Staff time for the sixty-day Baseline Gap Analysis, which starts the day ACCF emails the Key Contact.
- A work plan that gets the application in within twelve months of tool access.
- Your current data on the measures ACC's EP page lists: same-day discharge, pericardial effusion/tamponade, bleeding and vascular complications, device infection and 30-day readmission (ACC, EP).
- A budget line for the annual fee and for "all travel costs for up to two (2) ACCF staff members for each Site Review."
- For a renewal, a calendar date six months before your Anniversary Date.
If most of this is in place, the introductory call is the place to start.
How it compares
| Route | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| ACC Electrophysiology Accreditation | Requires participation in one of three NCDR registries: EP Device Implant, LAAO or AFib Ablation. Granted for three years (REV 5.1). |
| ACC Outpatient Center Cardiac Cath Lab with EP Devices (or with PCI and EP Devices) | Separate variants on ACC's program list for outpatient centers. In its cath lab section, ACC requires an outpatient center to participate in the NCDR CathPCI Registry or the CV ASC Registry Suite (REV 5.1). |
| Joint Commission | The Joint Commission's cardiac certification list, observed in October 2026, has no EP-specific certification (Joint Commission, Cardiac). |
| No program accreditation | The EP program operates under its organization's accreditation and its NCDR participation. |
This page does not recommend one route over another. The choice belongs to your organization.
What it costs
ACC publishes its fee terms but not the fee amount: "The Facility is required to pay an annual fee for each Accreditation Program." "The annual fee is non-refundable." The facility pays "all travel costs for up to two (2) ACCF staff members for each Site Review to be conducted onsite at the Facility," and "A Criteria Deficient fee of up to five thousand US Dollars (USD$5,000.00) may be assessed if the Facility fails to meet the Accreditation requirements at the time of the Site Review" (REV 5.1, posted 03/16/2026). Verify current fees with ACC.
IHS scopes each engagement after a free introductory call.
What this is not
- IHS is not an accrediting body and does not grant, influence or predict an ACC decision.
- IHS does not submit applications to ACC or correspond with ACC on your behalf. IHS drafts; your facility submits.
- This page is not clinical or legal advice. Procedural and device protocols stay with your electrophysiologists.
Frequently asked questions
What is ACC Electrophysiology Accreditation?
It is an ACCF Accreditation Services program that ACC describes as a structured, data-driven framework to standardize processes, strengthen multidisciplinary collaboration and drive continuous quality improvement across EP services. The facility is measured against the ACCF Accreditation Services Program Requirements, REV 5.1, and the EP criteria in ACC's online tool.
Which NCDR registry do we need for EP accreditation?
The facility must demonstrate active participation in one of three: the NCDR EP Device Implant Registry, the NCDR LAAO Registry or the NCDR AFib Ablation Registry.
Can an outpatient center get EP device accreditation?
ACC's program list includes Outpatient Center Cardiac Cath Lab with EP Devices and Outpatient Center Cardiac Cath Lab with PCI and EP Devices. In its cath lab section, ACC requires an outpatient center to participate in the NCDR CathPCI Registry or the CV ASC Registry Suite.
How long does EP accreditation take from tool access?
The Baseline Gap Analysis is a sixty-day phase that begins the day ACCF emails the Key Contact that the process has begun. The application is expected within twelve months of tool access, and ACC encourages early submission. ACC's published deadlines cover the gap analysis and the application; this page does not estimate the time to the site review.
How long does EP accreditation last and when do we reapply?
ACC states that accreditation is granted for three years. To preserve the Anniversary Date, ACC strongly recommends submitting the re-accreditation application no later than six months before that date.
What does EP accreditation cost?
ACC charges a non-refundable annual fee for each accreditation program but does not publish the amount. The facility also pays travel for up to two ACCF staff per onsite site review, and a Criteria Deficient fee of up to USD 5,000 may be assessed. Verify current fees with ACC.
What metrics do EP accreditation reviewers track?
ACC's EP page lists same-day discharge rates, pericardial effusion and tamponade rates, bleeding and vascular complications, device infection rates and 30-day readmission rates. The full criteria are in ACC's online tool.
Do adult and pediatric EP programs need separate accreditation?
The ACC pages we reviewed do not address pediatric EP eligibility. IHS scopes adult and pediatric programs as separate engagements.
What roles must we name for ACC accreditation?
Each facility must designate and provide contact information for each accreditation program, including a Key Contact, an Executive Sponsor, an Invoicing/Payment Contact, a Marketing Contact and at least one Accreditation User.
What is the difference between EP accreditation and relying on hospital accreditation?
ACC EP Accreditation is a program-level review of EP services against ACC's requirements, with registry participation and a three-year award. Without it, the EP program operates under its organization's accreditation and NCDR participation. This page does not recommend one over the other.