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Banner Desert Medical Center receives accreditation for level of care provided to cardiac patients
Received article
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Hospital’s emergency and cardiac staff work with East Valley EMS to ensure best outcomes for patients
MESA, AZ -- Banner Desert Medical Center received Chest Pain Center Accreditation with PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention) from the Society of Chest Pain Centers (SCPC) this month.
Banner Desert used the Society’s process improvement tool to integrate nationally recognized best practices with our current standard of excellent patient care for those with acute coronary syndrome. The “percutaneous coronary intervention” (PCI) designation lets the community know that emergency medical services (EMS) and our emergency room and cardiac staff are working in concert for their benefit.
“We are extremely proud to receive this prestigious accreditation,” said Todd Werner, CEO of Banner Desert Medical Center. “It is another step in our effort to continuously improve the level of care that we provide to our patients.”
As an Accredited Chest Pain Center, the hospital ensures that patients who arrive at the hospital complaining of chest pain or other symptoms of a heart attack receive the treatment necessary during the critical window of time when the integrity of the heart muscle can be preserved. By becoming an Accredited Chest Pain Center, Banner Desert has enhanced the quality of care for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients and has demonstrated its commitment to higher standards.
Know your warning signs
Don’t hesitate to call 9-1-1 if you are experiencing chest pain.
“People tend to wait when they think they might be having a heart attack, and that’s a mistake,” said James Ganem, MD, medical director of cardiovascular services at Banner Desert. “The average patient arrives in the emergency department more than two hours after the onset of symptoms, but what they don’t realize is that the sooner a heart attack is treated, the less damage to the heart and the better the outcome for the patient.”
Warning Signs:
Chest discomfort
- Chest pain, pressure, squeezing, fullnessm or heaviness
- Located in the center of the chest
- Lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back
Discomfort or pain felt in other areas of the upper body
- One or both arms, the upper back, between the shoulder blades, in the neck, or jaw
- May have a feeling of fullness in the stomach
Shortness of breath — trouble breathing
- Can take place with or without chest discomfort
Other symptoms
- Breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, dizziness, unusual tiredness, and/or pale skin
If you experience any of these symptoms, call 9-1-1 immediately.
About Banner Desert Medical Center
Banner Desert Medical Center is a non-profit facility in the Tempe/Mesa area, providing a wide range of inpatient and outpatient services. The medical center is one of the largest and most comprehensive hospitals in the state of Arizona, and serves as a tertiary referral center in the East Valley of metropolitan Phoenix. Banner Desert was recently recognized by U.S.News & World Report for high performance in 12 important clinical areas, and was a top hospital in the 2011-12 Metro Phoenix rankings. Banner Desert provides adult acute care including high-risk and general obstetrics, gynecology, cardiology, oncology, neurosciences, general and specialty surgical services, medical imaging and emergency medicine, among others. The 80-acre medical campus is also home to Cardon Children’s Medical Center. Both facilities are owned and operated by Banner Health, the largest provider of healthcare services in Arizona. To learn more, go to www.BannerHealth.com.
About the Society of Chest Pain Centers
The Society of Chest Pain Centers (SCPC) is an international not-for-profit organization that focuses on transforming cardiovascular care by assisting facilities in their effort to create communities of excellence that bring together quality, cost, and patient satisfaction. As the only cross-specialty organization, SCPC provides the support needed for individual hospitals and hospital systems to effectively bridge existing gaps in treatment by providing the tools, education, and support necessary to successfully navigate the changing face of healthcare. For more information on SCPC, accreditation and certification opportunities, visit www.scpcp.org or call toll free 1-877-271-4176.
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profile.ak.fbcdn.net / CopaNews.com
Banner Desert Medical Center received Chest Pain Center Accreditation.
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