Memorial Achieves Chest Pain Accreditation

Memorial Medical Center-Lufkin, the market leader for cardiovascular services in the East Texas region, has achieved the highest level of chest pain certification in our area. The Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care awarded Memorial Chest Pain Center Accreditation with Percutaneous Coronary Intervention, or PCI. The achievement recognizes Memorial as an outstanding facility when dealing with patients who present with heart attack symptoms.

Memorial patients benefit from a higher level of expertise in treating patients who arrive with symptoms of a heart attack, including:
• An emphasis on standardized diagnostic and treatment guidelines
• More efficient and effective evaluation
• Rapid treatment of patients with chest pain and other heart attack symptoms
• Promotion of a healthier lifestyle
• Reduction in the risk factors for heart attack

Memorial staff worked extensively to meet the requirements in order to achieve the accreditation. Additionally, Memorial underwent a sweeping onsite survey from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care in early May. The intent of the Society’s evaluation is to ensure facilities meet quality-of-care measures based on improving the process for the care of the acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patient. Memorial satisfied the multiple requirements in order to achieve the accreditation, including the treatment of a certain number of STEMI cases and getting a patient to the Catheterization lab and treated within 90 minutes. The average treatment time at Memorial was approximately 66 minutes, said Suzanne Monsour, East Texas Heart & Vascular Initiative Project Manager.

“Our application for the survey and certification was about 350 pages; it was a lot of hard work, but absolutely worth it for our patients,” Monsour said. “We were required to track a variety of metrics and show improvement, such as 'door to EKG time, follow the latest clinical guidelines, and implement a myriad of new policies and procedures.  There were also education requirements for staff, physicians and for the community. Receiving this accreditation affirms Memorial’s commitment to its patients and to quality cardiovascular care.”

The accreditation bestowed on Memorial includes an additional measure of accomplishment for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention, when an intervention is performed to open a coronary vessel in an emergent situation, usually in the form of a thrombectomy, balloon (PTCA) or stent. Memorial is the only hospital in the area to receive PCI designation.
The Chest Pain Center Accreditation with PCI manifested through a team effort. The Chest Pain Center certification includes exceptional care and coordination between the local Emergency Dispatch Services, Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Department and Catheterization Lab, observation unit, cardiac rehab and discharge process from the facility.

Memorial strengthened its deep commitment to quality cardiovascular care a few years ago when the hospital invested $30 million in the construction of the area’s first dedicated heart and stroke care center – the Cardiovascular & Stroke Center – which also includes a new state-of-the-art emergency department. In 2012, the hospital teamed up with the DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center at The Methodist Hospital to form the East Texas Heart & Vascular Initiative, funded by a $3.5 million grant from the T.L.L. Temple Foundation. The overall goal of the initiative is to elevate the level of heart and vascular care to the residents of deep East Texas by providing a widespread Community Education Program for heart and vascular disease. The hospital also brought in a cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon in 2011, which intensified the hospital’s ability to provide the utmost in cardiovascular care.

Now, Memorial is the preferred provider for emergency services and cardiovascular care, according to HealthStream research. Memorial has been chosen as the Best Emergency Room by Lufkin News Readers, and the hospital has received a Platinum level award for the treatment of Heart Attack and a Gold level award for the treatment of Heart Failure from the American Heart Association.