HICKORY, NC – June 3, 2015 —Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC)
received full chest pain accreditation
with PCI, the abbreviated term for emergency balloon angioplasty and stent
implantation from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC) on
March 26, 2015. The Accredited Chest Pain Center’s protocol-driven
and systematic approach to patient management allows physicians to reduce
time to treatment during the critical early stages of a heart attack,
when treatments are most effective, and to better monitor patients when
it is not clear whether or not they are having a coronary event. Such
observation helps ensure that patients are neither sent home too early
nor needlessly admitted.
“It took a team of dedicated people including Catawba County Emergency
Medical Services (EMS), the CVMC emergency department, heart & vascular
and critical care units as well as our heart specialists from Catawba
Valley Cardiology to achieve this accreditation,” said Chuck Scronce,
MSN, RN Administrator of Emergency and Heart & Vascular Services.
“We are excited about it because Chest Pain Accreditation with PCI
confirms an additional benefit our patients receive during the critical
and early stages of a heart attack and throughout their recovery.”
Scronce said that, to achieve this accreditation, a cross-functional team
of medical first responders worked collaboratively to improve practices
by EMS personnel who often first assess a patient, administer medication,
and obtain an EKG on the way to the hospital. EMS then transmits findings
to CVMC’s emergency department, where doctors and nurses begin preparing
for the patient prior to arrival. In many cases, the patient goes directly
to the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory.
“PCI certification confirms that we have an excellent program meeting
all national standards. The team is very experienced and certification
demonstrates excellent outcomes in all patients including heart attack
patients,” said Brian Steg, MD Catawba Valley Cardiology. “Members
of our team have been providing angioplasty services to heart attack patients
in Hickory for years. Coronary artery angioplasty and stenting restores
blood flow by finding the blockage inside a coronary artery causing the
heart attack. Using a thin, flexible tube called a catheter; the cardiologist
reopens the blocked vessel with a tiny balloon and then implants a drug-coated
metal stent to keep the vessel open. This approach saves lives, minimizes
damage to the heart, and preserves the maximum possible level of function
and quality of life.”
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. SCPC’s accreditation
process ensures that hospitals meet or exceed quality-of-care measures
in acute cardiac medicine. CVMC has demonstrated its expertise and commitment
to quality patient care by meeting or exceeding a wide set of stringent
criteria and undergoing an onsite review by a team of SPCP’s accreditation
review specialists.
ABOUT THE SOCIETY OF CARDIOVASCULAR PATIENT CARE – 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 opportunities, visit
http://www.scpcp.org, or call toll free 1-877-271-4176.
ABOUT CATAWBA VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER – Catawba Valley Medical Center
(CVMC) in Hickory, NC, is the region’s largest not-for-profit, public
healthcare system serving the community without direct funding from taxes.
CVMC provides and promotes physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being
in addition to serving as a center for health education, wellness, preventive
medicine and acute care. CVMC received a fourth consecutive Magnet designation
from the American Nurses Credentialing Center in 2014 and has been recognized
by WomenCertified®with Women’s Choice Awards for America’s Best 100 Hospitals
for Patient Experience in 2012, 2013 & 2014; Best Hospital for Patient
Experience in Obstetrics in 2013, 2014 & 2015; America’s Best
Hospitals in Orthopedics in 2013 & 2014; and America’s Best
Hospitals in Cancer Care in 2014. CVMC received the 2013 & 2014 Premier
Inc. QUEST® Award for High-Value Healthcare recognizing its reduction in harm, mortality,
readmissions and costs and improvements in metrics for patient experience
and evidence-based care. For more information, please visit
http://www.catawbavalleymedical.org.