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In January 2010, Deaconess Medical Center became the first and only Accredited Chest Pain Center in the Spokane region. Building on its long-established reputation as a leader in cardiac care, Deaconess recently applied for and was granted full accreditation by the Society of Chest Pain Centers (SCPC) – a designation held by only 12 percent of hospitals in the United States.
To receive accreditation, Deaconess has demonstrated its expertise and commitment to quality patient care by meeting or exceeding a wide set of stringent criteria and completing on-site evaluations by a SCPC review team. “This is momentous not only for our hospital and patients, but the community as well,” said Deaconess CEO William L. Gilbert. “It’s another step in our commitment to providing superior emergency and cardiac care to the residents of Spokane and the Inland Northwest. While the focus is on our emergency department, this accreditation is possible because of the work and commitment of a multi-disciplinary team that includes employees, physicians and Spokane County EMS.”
Chest pain is among the top symptoms of patients who visit the Deaconess Emergency Department (ED). This designation means that any patient who comes to Deaconess experiencing chest pain can be confident he or she is receiving care that meets or exceeds the highest national standards of care. Positive patient outcomes depend on timely intervention, diagnosis and treatment. Cardiologists, emergency department physicians and patient care staff at the Deaconess Accredited Chest Pain Center consistently demonstrate expertise in streamlined diagnosis and treatment, integration with paramedics/EMS, community education and other key factors that ensure better outcomes for patients.
The investment in establishing an Accredited Chest Pain Center demonstrates Deaconess Medical Center’s ongoing commitment to providing superior team-centered cardiac care. “Quick response, diagnosis and treatment save lives and heart muscle,” says Cardiologist Bryan Fuhs, M.D., Medical Director of the new Deaconess Accredited Chest Pain Center. “Our skilled team of cardiologists, ED physicians and nurses, integration with paramedics/EMS, advanced technology and exceptional response time to cardiac emergencies will give patients the best chance of survival and recovery.
“Care for chest pain patients starts long before they arrive at the hospital emergency room," said Jerry Lueck, Operations Manager for American Medical Response (AMR) ambulance service. "We work closely with the specialists at Deaconess and we're proud to be involved with the hospital’s accreditation and specialized cardiac care that ultimately benefits our patients.”
The SCPC is a non-profit international society that promotes protocol-based medicine and the adoption of process improvement science by healthcare providers to address heart attacks and acute heart failure. In January 2010, SCPC granted the Deaconess Chest Pain Center a full three-year accreditation.
For more information, click on the links below:
Cardiac Services
Preventive Cardiology
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Recognize Heart Attack Symptoms and Act Fast!
Warning signs:
- Discomfort, pain or pressure in the center of the chest
- Discomfort in the arm(s), back, neck, jaw or stomach
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or light-headedness
Risk factors:
- A previous heart attack or angina
- Family history of early heart disease
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Cigarette smoking
- Obesity/overweight
- Physical inactivity
If you have one or more of these risk factors, see your healthcare provider to find out how to reduce your risk of having a heart attack.
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How Much Do You Know About Your Heart? |
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