After a detailed review and on-site survey,
Pikeville Medical Center was awarded a Level IV Accreditation
as a Chest Pain Center with PCI by the Society of Chest Pain Centers.
This highly-acclaimed distinction made PMC one of the first five in the nation, and the first hospital in Kentucky to
earn this accreditation.
PCI
(percutaneous coronary intervention) refers to a variety of procedures
used to treat patients with diseased arteries of the heart caused by a build-up of fats, cholesterol, and other substances from the blood (referred to as plaque) that can reduce blood flow and lead to chest pain or a heart attack.
Pikeville Medical Center’s Heart Institute features
the region’s most experienced cardiology professionals. The group,
comprised of interventional cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, vascular surgeon, cardiologists and an electrophysiologist, the Heart Institute uses the
state-of-the-art diagnostic tools to provide world-class care.
Pikeville Medical Center’s accreditation means the hospital can provide the whole continuum of care, from diagnostics to heart surgery procedures, on site.
To earn Chest Pain Center accreditation, a facility must successfully meet the Society’s eight criteria.
Integration of the emergency department with the Emergency Medical System
Timely diagnosis and treatment of patients with ACS (Acute Coronary Syndrome)
Assessment of patients with low to moderate risk of ACS
Functional facility design
Organizational structure
Process improvement orientation
Community outreach, and personnel Competencies and training
PMC’s Chest Pain Center strives to quickly diagnose
cardiac patients, begin treatment within minutes and significantly
improve the chance of a positive outcome. Studies show that Chest Pain
Centers reduce mortality rates by 37 percent. More than five million
Americans visit hospitals each year with chest pain, but only ten to
fifteen percent of the patients are diagnosed with an acute myocardial
infarction, or heart attack. We achieve success with early intervention
and rapid initiation of therapy.
“We were held to highest standards during the
survey,” said Dr. Bill Harris, an interventional cardiologist with
PMC’s Heart Institute. “Our patients can be certain they will receive
quick and efficient cardiac care through a patient-specific plan of
action.”
Pikeville
Medical Center worked with local emergency service providers to equip
ambulances with EKG monitors capable of relaying test results during
transport. This allows members of PMC’s Chest Pain Center to implement
a plan of action while the patient is en route to our emergency department.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA),
Coronary Heart Disease is the No. 1 killer in the United States.
Statistics show that about 7.9 million people (age 20 and older) have
survived a heart attack. This year, the AHA predicts that 1.2 million Americans will suffer their first heart
attack. Warning signs often include tightness or pressure in the chest
and may also spread to the shoulders, neck and arms.
