SCPC accredits Porter Adventist Hospital as Chest Pain Center

The Society of Chest Pain Centers (SCPC) recently awarded Porter Adventist Hospital full accreditation status as a Chest Pain Center.

SCPC accredited hospitals have achieved a higher level of expertise in caring for 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 developing heart disease.

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.

"People tend to wait when they think they might be having a heart attack, and that's a mistake," said Dr. Steven Friedrich, cardiologist at Porter. "The average patient arrives in the emergency department more than two hours after the onset of symptoms, but what they don't realize is that the sooner a heart attack is treated, less damage to the heart occurs and the overall clinical outcome is substantially better."

To become an Accredited Chest Pain Center, Porter 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 Porter, 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

Chest pain accreditation means that Porter has enhanced the quality of care for the cardiac patient and has demonstrated its commitment to higher standards, quality assurance and community outreach. Porter now offers a complete spectrum of heart emergency care.

Services already include:
•Cardiac Short Stay Unit that provides prompt care and a shorter hospital stay for low-risk chest pain patients. The service allows some patients to be cared for and have cardiac treadmill testing done in the ER instead of being admitted to a nursing unit.
•Cardiac Catheterization and Electrophysiology Lab, which is staffed by board certified invasive cardiologists and electrophysiology specialists, as well as certified technologists and registered nurses who provide state-of-the-art diagnostic services, including minimally invasive procedures and interventions.
•Inpatient heart care, including intensive care
•Cardiac Rehabilitation - a comprehensive outpatient program designed specifically for those patients who have recently had a heart attack, stent placement or angioplasty, and those who have undergone heart surgery.
•The Porter Heart and Vascular Institute, offering access to cutting-edge surgical technology with an endovascular hybrid operating suite.
•Preventive services, such as the unique Cardiac Early Detection program, providing modern cardiac diagnostic testing with results and recommendations the same day.
•Heart and Vascular Classes and Education
•Award-winning Cardiac Care - The Porter Heart and Vascular Institute has received numerous awards from the American Heart Association, as well as national recognition from a leading healthcare independent ratings organization.
Porter joins two other Centura Health facilities to achieve Chest Pain Accreditation: Littleton Adventist Hospital and Penrose-St. Francis Health Services in Colorado Springs.