McKenzie-Willamette Announces National Chest Pain Center Accreditation and Opening of Hybrid Cardiac Cath Lab
Hospital is first in Lane County to Earn the Cardiac Designation and has new Specialized Technology
SPRINGFIELD – McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center announced today that it is now the first and only nationally Accredited Chest Pain Center in Lane County. Building on its long-established reputation as a leader in cardiac care, McKenzie-Willamette recently applied for and was granted accreditation by the Society of Chest Pain Centers (SCPC) – a designation held by only 12 percent of hospitals in the United States and only two other Oregon hospitals.
To receive accreditation, McKenzie-Willamette has demonstrated its expertise and commitment to quality patient care by meeting or exceeding a wide set of stringent criteria and completing on-site evaluations by a SCPC review team. "This is momentous not only for our hospital and patients, but the community as well," said McKenzie-Willamette Chief Executive Officer, Maurine Cate. "It's another step in our commitment to providing superior emergency and cardiac care to the residents of Springfield and Eugene. While the focus is on our emergency department, this accreditation is possible because of the work and commitment of a multi-disciplinary team that includes employees, physicians, Lane County Dispatch, and Springfield and Eugene EMS."
In conjunction with the accreditation announcement, the hospital is hosting a preview our hybrid cardiac cath lab in Lane County. The event is Thursday, August 9 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with a ribbon cutting at 5:30 p.m. The event not only celebrates the Chest Pain Center Accreditation, but also introduces technology found at McKenzie Heart Center.
The hybrid cardiac cath lab addresses the needs of patients undergoing cardiac catheterization for an artery blockage and need open heart or other cardiovascular surgery. Rather than moving the patient to a surgical suite, the new hybrid cardiac cath lab provides the technology to complete the catheterization and heart surgery in the same room.
Chest pain is among the top symptoms of patients who visit the McKenzie-Willamette Emergency Department (ED). This designation and hybrid cardiac cath lab mean that any patient who comes to McKenzie-Willamette experiencing chest pain can be confident he or she is receiving care that meets or exceeds the highest national standards of care. Positive patient outcomes depend on timely intervention, diagnosis and treatment. Cardiologists, emergency department physicians and patient care staff at the McKenzie-Willamette Accredited Chest Pain Center consistently demonstrate expertise in streamlined diagnosis and treatment, integration with paramedics/EMS, community education and other key factors that ensure better outcomes for patients.
The investment in establishing an Accredited Chest Pain Center and in building the hybrid cardiac cath lab demonstrates McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center's ongoing commitment to providing superior team-centered cardiac care. "Quick response, diagnosis and treatment save lives and heart muscle," says cardiologist Sam Lau, M.D., Medical Director of the McKenzie-Willamette Accredited Chest Pain Center. "Our skilled team of cardiologists, ED physicians and nurses, integration with paramedics/EMS, sophisticated technology and exceptional response time to cardiac emergencies will give patients the best chance of survival and recovery."
"Care for chest pain patients starts long before they arrive at the hospital emergency room," said Lau. "We worked closely with Lane County Dispatch and Springfield and Eugene EMS to complete the hospital's accreditation and specialized cardiac care that ultimately benefits our patients."
The SCPC is a non-profit international society that promotes protocol-based medicine and the adoption of process improvement science by healthcare providers to address heart attacks and acute heart failure. On June 15, 2012, SCPC granted the McKenzie-Willamette Chest Pain Center a full three-year accreditation.