(Media release from Atrium Health Floyd):
The American College of Cardiology (ACC) has again recognized Floyd Medical Center for its demonstrated expertise and commitment in treating patients with chest pain.
The hospital was awarded Chest Pain Center Accreditation with Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) and Resuscitation in March based on rigorous evaluation of the staff’s ability to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients who may be experiencing a heart attack. The hospital first received the accreditation in 2019.
Hospitals that have earned the accreditation have proven exceptional competency in treating patients with heart attack symptoms and have primary PCI, also known as coronary angioplasty, available 24/7 every day of the year.
Coronary angioplasty is a non-surgical procedure that opens narrowed or blocked coronary arteries with a balloon to relieve symptoms of heart disease or reduce heart damage during or after a heart attack.
“When patients come to our emergency room with chest pain, they can expect that we will be ready to quickly treat them,” said Lee Clevenger, Director of Critical Care and Cardiovascular Services at Atrium Health Floyd. “If an angioplasty or stent is needed, we always have a team prepared.”
The hospital has three state of the art heart catheterization labs.
As required to meet the criteria of the accreditation designation, Floyd Medical Center complies with standard Chest Pain Center protocols and is equipped with a robust hypothermia program for post-cardiac arrest treatment. The hospital also maintains a “No Diversion Policy” for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients.
Facilities that achieve accreditation meet or exceed an array of stringent criteria and have organized a team of doctors, nurses, clinicians, and other administrative staff that earnestly support the efforts leading to better patient education and improved patient outcomes.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 730,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. The most common symptoms of a heart attack for both men and women are chest pain or discomfort. However, women are more likely to have non-cardiac symptoms. Other heart attack symptoms include, but are not limited to, tingling or discomfort in one or both arms, back, shoulder, neck or jaw, shortness of breath, cold sweat, unusual tiredness, heartburn-like feeling, nausea or vomiting, sudden dizziness and fainting.
Floyd Medical Center has demonstrated its commitment to providing excellent heart care,” said Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, FACC, chair of the ACC Accreditation Management Board. “ACC Accreditation Services is proud to award Floyd Medical Centerwith Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI and Resuscitation Accreditation.”
The mission of the American College of Cardiology and its 54,000 members is to transform cardiovascular care and to improve heart health. The ACC bestows credentials upon cardiovascular professionals who meet stringent qualifications and leads in the formation of health policy, standards and guidelines. The College also provides professional medical education, disseminates cardiovascular research through its world-renowned JACC Journals, operates national registries to measure and improve care, and offers cardiovascular accreditation to hospitals and institutions. For more, visit acc.org.
