hospital headlines
THE CHEST PAIN CENTER
at San Joaquin Community
Hospital (SJCH) has received the American Heart
Association’s Mission: Lifeline Heart Attack Receiving
Center Accreditation. SJCH is the first hospital in Kern
County and the second in the state of California to be
given this distinction.
The accreditation program—sponsored by the American
Heart Association and the Society of Cardiovascular
Patient Care—recognizes centers that meet or exceed
quality of care measures for people experiencing the most
severe type of heart attack—ST-elevation myocardial
infarction (STEMI), in which blood flow is completely
blocked to a portion of the heart.
SJCH’s Chest Pain Center underwent numerous on-site
reviews by accreditation specialists from the Society of
Cardiovascular Patient Care. To even be considered for
this distinction, SJCH’s Chest Pain Center had to be:
➜
➜
An Accredited Chest Pain Center (with the Society of
Cardiovascular Patient Care)
➜
➜
An award-winning Chest Pain Center
➜
➜
Consistent in performance measures for heart attack
patients
As a result of this latest accreditation, SJCH will display
the American Heart Association Mission: Lifeline® Heart
Attack Receiving Center Accreditation certification mark.
Tried and tested
OUR CHEST
PAIN CENTER
“SJCH is thoroughly committed to providing our
patients the highest quality cardiac care,” said Stella
Williams, SJCH’s Chest Pain Center coordinator. “Our
mission is to save more patients’ lives, so when we
receive this kind of recognition from the American
Heart Association for doing what is already our num-
ber one goal, that’s just an added bonus for our staff. The
American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline Heart
Attack Receiving Center Accreditation has highlighted
our accomplishments and will improve the overall treat-
ment and care for our patients.”
The American Heart Association’s overall goal
for Mission: Lifeline Heart Attack Receiving Center
Accreditation is to significantly reduce cardiac mortality
in patients by teaching the public to recognize and react
to early symptoms of a heart attack, reduce the time it
takes to receive life-saving treatment, and increase the
accuracy and effectiveness of treatment administered.
• Health Matters
7
