St. Luke’s Health-Memorial Lufkin Earns Certification for Providing Highest Level of Chest Pain

This year 600,000 people will die from a heart attack, making it the leading cause of death in the United States. St. Luke’s Health-Memorial aims to lower that number by providing the very best in cardiac care. The Lufkin hospital recently earned the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care’s highest accreditation – Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI (Percutaneous Coronary Intervention) with Resuscitation – as a result of effectively diagnosing, treating and caring for those experiencing chest pain.

“Obviously we are proud of the hard work and dedication that goes into earning this kind of designation, but it’s more than just a plaque to hang up on the wall,” said St. Luke’s Health-Memorial COO and Lufkin President Shawn Barnett. “The reason why this is so important for our community is that if you’re experiencing chest pain and you come to Memorial, you know you’re getting the best care possible. Our staff has a higher level of expertise in dealing with patients who show signs of a heart attack.”

Right now, the full Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI with Resuscitation Accreditation is the highest designation given by the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC), and St. Luke’s Health-Memorial is the only hospital between Tyler and Houston to receive the prestigious accreditation.

By achieving SCPC’s Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI with Resuscitation Accreditation status, St. Luke’s Health-Memorial demonstrates expertise in the following areas:

• Integrating the emergency department with the local emergency medical system
• Assessing, diagnosing, and treating patients quickly
• Effectively treating patients at low risk for acute coronary syndrome and no assignable cause for their symptoms
• Continually seeking to improve processes and procedures
• Ensuring the competence and training of Accredited Chest Pain Center personnel
• Maintaining organizational structure and commitment
• Constructing a functional design that promotes optimal patient care
• Supporting community outreach programs that educate the public to promptly seek medical care if they display symptoms of a possible heart attack

“Memorial emphasizes 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,” said M. Musa Khan, M.D., Medical Director of St. Luke’s Health-Memorial Lufkin’s Chest Pain Center. “We also help to promote a healthier lifestyle – before they ever make it to us – in an attempt to reduce the risk factors for heart attack.”