On Feb. 19, 2018, Southwestern Medical Center announced that it had been certified a Center of Excellence by the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association (HCMA) – one of less than 30 Centers of Excellence nationwide and the first certified center in North Texas.

HCMA Centers of Excellence are recognized for providing comprehensive diagnostic, treatment, education, and research programs for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), a genetic disease that leads to thickening of the heart muscle and causes shortness of breath, chest pain, abnormal heart rhythms, and even sudden cardiac death, but can be difficult to diagnose.