Augusta, GA--The MCGHealth Chest Pain Center recently became accredited by the Society of Chest Pain Centers for successfully accomplishing key quality-of-care measures in acute cardiac medicine.
The Chest Pain Center’s specialized diagnostic approach allows physicians to speed treatment to patients during the critical early stages of a heart attack, when intervention is most effective, and to better monitor patients when it is unclear whether they are having a coronary event. Careful observation helps ensure that a patient is neither sent home prematurely nor admitted to the hospital unless a significant medical problem is confirmed.
“This is a fantastic achievement for the center, and even more importantly for our patients,” said Dr. Bruce Janiak, Director of the Chest Pain Center. “We have seen many patients’ lives saved through the diligent care of the chest pain team we have in place. This accreditation affirms that our commitment is solid and our approach is working.”
MCGHealth’s Chest Pain Center demonstrated expertise in the following key areas:
- Integrating the Emergency Department with the local emergency medical system.
- Assessing, diagnosing and treating patients rapidly.
- Effectively treating patients with low risk for acute coronary syndrome and no assignable cause for their symptoms.
- Continually seeking to improve processes and procedures.
- Ensuring personnel are adequately trained.
- Maintaining organizational structure and commitment.
- Having 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.
The Society of Chest Pain Centers is an international non-profit professional organization focused on improving care for patients with acute coronary syndromes and related heart conditions.
More than 1.2 million heart attacks occur each year in America, and about 460,000 of them are fatal. According to the SCPC, the MCGHealth Chest Pain Center is one of about 1,500 Chest Pain Centers in the United States, a number that is climbing as the value of such a center is proved in lives saved.
MCG Health, Inc. (d/b/a MCGHealth) is a not-for-profit corporation operating the MCGHealth Medical Center, MCGHealth Children’s Medical Center, the Georgia Radiation Therapy Center, and related outpatient facilities and services throughout the state. For more information, please visit mcghealth.org.