Press release from the Lutheran Health Network:
Dupont Receives Accreditation as Chest Pain Center
Dupont Hospital has received full accreditation status from the Society of Chest Pain Centers.(Sept. 9, 2010) – Hospitals that receive SCPC accreditation have achieved a higher level of expertise in dealing with patients who arrive with symptoms of a heart attack. These hospitals emphasize the importance of standardized diagnostic and treatment programs, which provide more efficient and effective evaluation as well as more appropriate and rapid treatment of patients with chest pain and other heart attack symptoms. Accredited hospitals also serve as a point of entry into the healthcare system to evaluate and treat other medical problems, and they help to promote a healthier lifestyle in an attempt to reduce the risk factors for heart attack.
To become an Accredited Chest Pain Center, Dupont engaged in rigorous evaluation by SCPC for its ability to assess, diagnose and treat patients who may be experiencing a heart attack. For the communities served by Dupont, this means that processes are in place that meet strict criteria aimed at:
- Reducing the time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis and treatment
- Treating patients more quickly during the critical window of time when the integrity of the heart muscle can be preserved
- Monitoring patients when it is not certain that they are having a heart attack to ensure that they are not sent home too quickly or needlessly admitted to the hospital
“Working with our Lutheran Health Network partners, Dupont has demonstrated its capability to provide patients with life-saving cardiac care,” said Erica Wehrmeister, assistant chief executive officer, Dupont Hospital. “This is another step in our efforts to offer enhanced services to our patients.”
In addition to being an Accredited Chest Pain Center, Dupont is also a member of Level 1 Heart, a chest pain system that enhances the level of care for acute heart attack patients.When a patient is recognized as having a heart attack, the Level 1 Heart process is activated. The activation can take place at the scene of an emergency by the paramedic or in the emergency department. The goal is to activate, stabilize, transport and have the blocked vessel open in less than 90 minutes. When a patient is identified, the ED staff pick up a phone that automatically connects the referring hospital with Lutheran Hospital. The call activates established protocols for acute heart attack patients prior to the patient’s actual transfer. Prehospital emergency personnel, cardiologists, ED physicians, Lutheran’s cardiac catheterization team and hospital staff and staff at the Level 1 Heart referring facility all play an integral part in the system.
Members of Level 1 Heart include Lutheran Hospital, St. Joseph Hospital, Dupont Hospital, Kosciusko Community Hospital, Bluffton Regional Medical Center and Dukes Memorial Hospital.
With the increase in chest pain centers came the need to establish standards designed to improve the consistency and quality of care provided to patients. SCPC’s accreditation process ensures that centers meet or exceed quality-of-care measures in acute cardiac medicine.
Chest Pain Centers seek reaccreditation every three years. Dupont’s current designation as an Accredited Chest Pain Center expires in August 2013.
Heart attacks are the leading cause of death in the United States, with 600,000 people dying annually of heart disease. More than five million Americans visit hospitals each year with chest pain. SCPC’s goal is to significantly reduce the mortality rate of these patients by teaching the public to recognize and react to the early symptoms of a possible heart attack, reduce the time that it takes to receive treatment and increase the accuracy and effectiveness of treatment.
About the Society of Chest Pain Centers
Established in 1998, SCPC is a patient-centric nonprofit international organization focused on improving care for patients with heart disease. Central to SCPC’s mission is the question, “What is right for the patient?” In response, SCPC promotes protocol-based medicine, often delivered through a chest pain center model, to address the diagnosis and treatment of acute coronary syndrome and heart failure and to promote the adoption of process improvement science by healthcare providers. To best fulfill this mission, SCPC provides accreditation and education to facilities striving for optimum cardiac care. SCPC is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. – website –
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