When you or someone you know is having a heart attack, time to treatment is critical. An accredited Chest Pain Center’s evidence-based, protocol-driven and systematic approach to care can reduce the time to treatment during the critical early stages of a heart attack.
Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell recently received its second consecutive full Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI Accreditation from the American College of Cardiology (ACC), making it the first hospital in Mercer, Bucks and Burlington counties to do so.
“This reaccreditation proves that we continue to lead the region when it comes to providing state-of-the-art care for time-sensitive cardiac events,” said Al Maghazehe, president and CEO of Capital Health. “It also shows our community that we remain up-to-date with the latest best practices for managing heart attacks with increased speed and efficiency, as well as educating our community about the early signs of heart attack, all of which leads to better outcomes for our patients.”
Aimed at transforming cardiovascular care and improving heart health, the ACC and its accreditation programs ensure that systemic quality-of-care measures are met and the requisite protocols, processes, and systems are implemented by accredited healthcare organizations such as Capital Health.
“Reaccreditation from the ACC is a great honor that demonstrates the commitment of our entire team,” said Dr. Peter Peloquin, medical director of Capital Health’s Chest Pain Center. “Only through the efforts of our experienced doctors, nurses, and other dedicated professionals are we able to implement the rigorous guidelines established by the ACC to provide the highest quality emergency cardiac care to our patients.”
When a person is having a heart attack, calling 9-1-1 is an important first step. This will send an ambulance to the caller’s location and put him or her in contact with a trained dispatcher for further instructions. When the ambulance arrives, treatment can begin on-site, which may include delivery of medication and EKG testing. If on-site testing indicates that a heart attack is taking place, Capital Health’s pre-hospital alert system will immediately mobilize a specialized medical team at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell in the Emergency Department as well as the Cardiac Catheterization Lab to perform additional testing or an emergency procedure once the patient arrives.
Hospitals that receive ACC Accreditation status, such as Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell, have achieved a higher level of expertise in dealing with patients who present with symptoms of a heart attack. They emphasize the importance of standardized diagnostic and treatment programs that provide more efficient and effective evaluation as well as more appropriate and rapid treatment of patients with chest pain and other heart attack symptoms. They 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.
Visit capitalchestpain.org to learn more about Capital Health’s Chest Pain Center.
Remember to call 9-1-1 if you or someone you know is experiencing the signs and symptoms of a heart attack.