St. Michael receives accreditation for heart care

Pictured are representatives of the heart care team at CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System who contribute to demonstrated expertise and commitment in treating patients with chest pain. Pictured left to right: Nicole Fant, RN program manager-chest pain; Renae Temples, cath lab clinical nurse specialist; Dr. Justin Saporito, medical director-cath lab and chest pain program; Dr. Louise Thornell, chief nursing officer; Carla Trissel, emergency department RN and Dr. Jason Harris, emergency services medical director.
Pictured are representatives of the heart care team at CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System who contribute to demonstrated expertise and commitment in treating patients with chest pain. Pictured left to right: Nicole Fant, RN program manager-chest pain; Renae Temples, cath lab clinical nurse specialist; Dr. Justin Saporito, medical director-cath lab and chest pain program; Dr. Louise Thornell, chief nursing officer; Carla Trissel, emergency department RN and Dr. Jason Harris, emergency services medical director.

CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System was recently awarded the Chest Pain Center Accreditation with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) by the American College of Cardiology. The accreditation is based on a rigorous onsite evaluation of the hospital staff's ability to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients who are possibly experiencing a heart attack.

"Earning this recognition from the ACC is a tremendous honor and achievement for health care in this region," said Jason Rounds, president of St. Michael. "The accreditation demonstrates the ongoing efforts and passion our physicians, advanced practice providers, nursing teams and other clinical services comprising our heart care team contribute to ensuring our patients receive the highest levels of faith-based care when they visit our facilities."

PCI is also known as coronary angioplasty which is a non-surgical procedure that opens narrowed or blocked coronary arteries to relieve symptoms of heart disease or reduce heart damage during or after a heart attack.

Hospitals that have earned ACC Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI Accreditation have proven to be exceptionally capable when treating patients with heart attack symptoms and have primary PCI available 24-hours-a-day, every day of the year.

Patients receive this treatment sooner at accredited hospitals who have streamlined their systems from admission to evaluation to diagnosis and treatment, all the way through to post-discharge care even providing recommendations and assistance in patient lifestyle changes.

"CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System has demonstrated its commitment to providing the Texarkana region with excellent heart care," said Dr. Phillip D. Levy, chair of the ACC Accreditation Management Board. "ACC Accreditation Services is proud to award CHRISTUS St. Michael with Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI Accreditation."

Facilities that achieve accreditation meet or exceed an array of demanding criteria and have organized a team of doctors, nurses, clinicians and other administrative staff that support the efforts leading to better patient education and improved patient outcomes.

"The ACC represents the highest goals of clinical excellence, continuing education and constant improvement in heart care," said Dr. Louise Thornell, chief nursing officer at St. Michael. "With this accreditation from the ACC, we have yet again demonstrated to our patients and to the people of this region that CHRISTUS Health and CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System are leaders in heart care."

 

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