Regional Medical Center of Acadiana granted Cycle III Chest Pain Accreditation

October 27, 2011

The Society of Chest Pain Centers (www.scpcp.org) recently granted the designation of Cycle III Chest Pain Accreditation to The Regional Medical Center of Acadiana, making it the highest designation for chest pain in Acadiana. Regional Medical Center is the fourth in the state and the only facility in the region granted this designation by meeting or exceeding a wide set of stringent criteria and completing on-site evaluations by a reviewer from the Society of Chest Pain Center and Providers.

"We are dedicated to achieving excellence throughout our facility, and we are pleased to provide cardiac patients with a quality of care consistent with nationally recognized standards. Our achievement was made possible by a collaborative effort from our cardiovascular and emergency department physicians, Acadian Ambulance and our entire staff. We want to recognize the contributions of Dr. Raghotham Patlola, Medical Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab, Research and Innovation. As the physician champion of this effort, he played a critical role in this accomplishment. All involved are to be commended for working diligently to advance our chest pain center into a premier program for the detection and treatment of heart attacks," states Vicki Briggs, CEO, The Regional Health System of Acadiana.

Hospitals that have received SCPC accreditation have achieved a higher level of expertise in dealing with patients who arrive 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.

To become an Accredited Chest Pain Center, The Regional Medical Center of Acadiana engaged in rigorous evaluation by SCPC for its ability to assess, diagnose, and treat patients who may be experiencing a heart attack. To the community served by Regional Medical Center, 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

"Heart attacks are the leading cause of death in United States. Regional Medical Center has consistently adhered to the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association guidelines, focusing on decreasing door-to-balloon times in patients presenting to our facility with heart attacks. We have a great protocol and system in place , working closely with EMS, emergency department physicians and support staff in our cardiac catheterization labs. The final product is significant reduction in door-to-balloon times, which translates into superior patient outcomes," states Dr. Raghotham Patlola, Interventional Cardiologist, Cardiovascular Institute of the South and Chest Pain Center Physician Champion.

ABOUT THE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER OF ACADIANA

Founded in 1985, The Regional Medical Center of Acadiana is an acute care facility that offers a full spectrum of services including cardiovascular, general surgery, neurosurgery, orthopedics, bariatric surgery, physical medicine and rehabilitation, emergency and outpatient services. Accreditations from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, College of American Pathologists and the designation of "Center of Excellence" for bariatric surgery by The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery are evidence of the staff's commitment to providing each patient with high quality healthcare. Regional Medical Center also currently ranks in the "Top 100 in the Nation" for Major Cardiac Surgery and Coronary Bypass Surgery. Additional rankings include "Top 10% in the State" for Cardiac Care and "Number One in the Market" for Vascular Surgery according to www.carechex.com . The Regional Medical Center of Acadiana is located at the corner of West Congress and Ambassador Caffery Parkway.www.medicalcenterofacadiana.com

For more information on The Regional Medical Center of Acadiana contact Lisa Landry, Regional Director of Marketing, at 337.989.6764 or lisa.landry@hcahealthcare.com .


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. For more information on SCPC and accreditation opportunities, visit www.scpcp.org, or call toll free
1-877-271-4176.

Tags: heart