About the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education

Cincinnati-based cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Hartmuth Bittner is the founder and president of Gulf Coast Cardiothoracic Surgery Institute. A former visiting lecturer at the Harvard University School of Medicine, Dr. Bittner possesses more than 20 years of medical practice experience. Dr. Hartmuth Bittner is also certified by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, a certification that shows he has completed a residency approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

ACGME sets the standard for professional education and training programs for medical practice in the United States. As an independent, nonprofit organization, ACGME aims to prepare physicians to deliver high-quality health services by carefully monitoring residency and fellowship programs and ensuring that they meet each specialty’s required standards.

Specialty-specific committees comprising volunteer expert physicians set these standards and consistently assess and monitor the resident programs. They also regularly review the standards to make sure they are in-tune with globally accepted medical practice principles. Further, residents provide feedback to the council about the programs to help them make improvements.

ACGME also believes that the well-being of physicians is essential to the delivery of high-quality healthcare services. The organization ensures that physicians’ environments epitomize safety and a high level of professionalism.