Augusta Health receives Chest Pain Center Accreditation with PCI

Augusta Health received full Chest Pain Center Accreditation with PCI (coronary angioplasty) from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care.

To become an Accredited Chest Pain Center, Augusta Health was rigorously evaluated for its ability to assess, diagnose and treat patients who may be experiencing a heart attack.  Augusta Health met or exceeded a wide set of criteria and an onsite review by a team of accreditation specialists.

“This accreditation is a reflection of the professional excellence and teamwork of the physicians and staff here at Augusta Health,” said Donna Hurst, BSN, RN, CEN, NREMTP, Clinical Coordinator in the Emergency Department and Chest Pain Accreditation Chair.  “It also has great impact on the people in our community.  This accreditation verifies that we have processes in place to reduce the time from the start of symptoms to diagnosis and treatment, to treat patients more quickly during the window of time when heart muscle can be preserved, and to monitor patients when it’s not certain they are having a heart attack—to be sure they aren’t sent home too quickly.”

“As an Accredited Chest Pain Center, we’ve demonstrated that we are committed to high standards and enhanced quality of care for the cardiac patients in our community,” added Mary N. Mannix, FACHE, President and CEO of Augusta Health.  “Augusta Health’s cardiac care encompasses the entire continuum for heart patients—from the EMS and emergency department, through the cath lab and cardiac rehab programs—and including our quality and community outreach screening and prevention programs.  This special accreditation demonstrates that Augusta Health has all elements of a high quality cardiac program in place to assure the community receives the care it needs when time is critical.”

Augusta Health’s mission is to promote the health and well-being of our community through access to excellent care.  Named one of the 100 Top Hospitals in America by Thomson Reuters in both 2011 and 2012, Augusta Health has also been nationally recognized by HealthGrades as one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for clinical excellence and patient safety for the last three consecutive years, and has been name one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals in 2015.  For more information about Augusta Health, its programs or its services, please contact Public Relations at 540.245.7329 or visit our website, www.augustahealth.com.

The Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC) is an international not-for-profit organization that focuses on transforming cardiovascular care by assisting facilities in their effort to create communities of excellence that bring together quality, cost and patient satisfaction.  As the only cross-specialty organization, SCPC provides the support needed for individual hospitals and hospital systems to effectively bridge existing gaps in treatment by providing the tools, education and support necessary to successfully navigate the changing face of healthcare.  For more information on SCPC, accreditation and certification, visit www.scpcp.org or call 1-877-271-4176.