This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Local Voices

University Hospitals Bedford Medical Center receives reaccreditation as Chest Pain Center

Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care recognizes hospital’s advanced heart attack care

Bedford, Ohio – In November, University Hospitals (UH) Bedford Medical Center, a campus of UH Regional Hospitals, received renewed Chest Pain Center Accreditation from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC), an international nonprofit organization that focuses on transforming quality cardiovascular care, outcomes and patient satisfaction.

UH Bedford Medical Center achieved its initial Chest Pain Center Accreditation in 2010. Reaccreditations are awarded every three years. “A survey team from SCPC was on-site at the hospital and commented very favorably about the participation of our physicians, nurses and staffs,” says Richard Hanson, President, UH Community Hospitals and Ambulatory Network.

Find out what's happening in Twinsburgwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

As an Accredited Chest Pain Center, the community hospital has proven to offer a higher level of expertise in caring for patients with heart attack symptoms, including those experiencing STEMI (ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction) – a serious heart attack caused by a blockage in one of the heart’s major arteries.

“SCPC accreditation means that in a heart attack situation, the hospital has immediate engagement from our UH Case Medical Center-trained emergency and cardiovascular teams to ensure that patients have their blocked blood vessel opened with balloon angioplasty as soon as possible within the benchmark time of 90 minutes,” says Gretchen Mlinaric, RN, BSN, Assistant Nurse Manager, UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute, UH Bedford Medical Center.

Find out what's happening in Twinsburgwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

This protocol has resulted in nearly 70 peripheral catheterizations and 160 diagnostic cardiac catheterizations at UH Bedford Medical Center over the last two years. The hospital’s cardiac catheterization lab is low-risk; if an interventional procedure is required, a patient is immediately transported to UH Case Medical Center following diagnosis.

To be reaccredited as a Chest Pain Center, UH Bedford Medical Center engaged in rigorous evaluation by SCPC according to strict criteria, including:

*Advanced training of Chest Pain Center personnel.

*Swift assessment, diagnosis and treatment of chest pain patients.

*Integration of the emergency department with the local emergency medical system.

*Effective treatment of patients with low risk for acute coronary syndrome and no assignable cause for their symptoms.

*Continuous improvement of processes and procedures.

*Community outreach programs that promote cardiovascular wellness and educate the public to promptly seek medical care if they display heart attack symptoms.

“The outstanding patient outcomes our Chest Pain Center delivers at UH Bedford Medical Center are due to a team effort,” says Hanson. “It is a collaboration between our physicians, nurses and staff members; our communities’ fire departments and EMS teams; UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute; and UH EMS Institute. As a result, our patients receive state-of-the-art chest pain care.”

For more information about the Chest Pain Center’s capabilities and heart and vascular wellness outreach programs offered by UH Bedford Medical Center, visit www.uhbedford.org.
We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Twinsburg