Presbyterian Healthcare 
2007 News Releases
Presbyterian's Heart Attack Care Recognized as a Blueprint for Success
|
November 15, 2007 Contact: Public Relations and Marketing, 704-617-2631 |
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Presbyterian Hospital has been identified as a National Top Performer for the care of heart attack patients. Now, their model will serve as a blueprint for other hospitals hoping to improve the quality and speed of their care.
On Wednesday, November 7 and Thursday, November 8, VHA, Inc. sent its clinical improvement team to Presbyterian to evaluate its process for treating heart attack patients, specifically rapid intervention with catheterization for acute myocardial infarction (MI). The hospital was chosen for achieving very short intervention times while sustaining excellent results.
Presbyterian was one of a small group nationwide selected for a visit during the first phase of VHA's "blueprinting" project for implementing clinical improvements. Just 36 hospitals in the country will be visited by VHA over the next year for evaluation in a variety of clinical situations. At the conclusion of the process, VHA will share best practices with other VHA members to help improve patient care on a wider scale. Presbyterian's process will be posted on the VHA Web site and will be recognized in VHA communications regarding the blueprinting process.
"Time is muscle," said Sid Fletcher, M.D., medical director of the Presbyterian Emergency Department. "The longer it takes to open the blocked artery, the greater the chance that the heart will sustain permanent damage and the greater the risk of death." Dr. Fletcher points to several reasons for Presbyterian's ability to quickly treat heart attack patients. Presbyterian has a board-certified cardiologist onsite 24/7 and allows emergency physicians to activate the catheterization lab, and the hospital even synchronized its clock system via satellite to save precious minutes. Presbyterian continues to support other initiatives, including expanded technology that will allow emergency medical technicians to transmit ECG results before patients ever arrive at the hospital.
Presbyterian will present on its standards for heart attack care at the VHA Clinical Congress in Orlando, Fla. on February 6-8, 2008. Presenters will include Dr. Fletcher as well as John Pasquini, M.D., FACC, medical director of the Presbyterian Chest Pain Unit, Richard Pearce, executive director of the Presbyterian Cardiovascular Institute (CVI) and Cathy Rabb, manager of CVI projects and initiatives.
Irving, Tex.-based VHA, Inc. is a national healthcare alliance that provides industry-leading supply chain management services and supports the formation of regional and national networks to help members improve their clinical and economic performance.
On Wednesday, November 7 and Thursday, November 8, VHA, Inc. sent its clinical improvement team to Presbyterian to evaluate its process for treating heart attack patients, specifically rapid intervention with catheterization for acute myocardial infarction (MI). The hospital was chosen for achieving very short intervention times while sustaining excellent results.
Presbyterian was one of a small group nationwide selected for a visit during the first phase of VHA's "blueprinting" project for implementing clinical improvements. Just 36 hospitals in the country will be visited by VHA over the next year for evaluation in a variety of clinical situations. At the conclusion of the process, VHA will share best practices with other VHA members to help improve patient care on a wider scale. Presbyterian's process will be posted on the VHA Web site and will be recognized in VHA communications regarding the blueprinting process.
"Time is muscle," said Sid Fletcher, M.D., medical director of the Presbyterian Emergency Department. "The longer it takes to open the blocked artery, the greater the chance that the heart will sustain permanent damage and the greater the risk of death." Dr. Fletcher points to several reasons for Presbyterian's ability to quickly treat heart attack patients. Presbyterian has a board-certified cardiologist onsite 24/7 and allows emergency physicians to activate the catheterization lab, and the hospital even synchronized its clock system via satellite to save precious minutes. Presbyterian continues to support other initiatives, including expanded technology that will allow emergency medical technicians to transmit ECG results before patients ever arrive at the hospital.
Presbyterian will present on its standards for heart attack care at the VHA Clinical Congress in Orlando, Fla. on February 6-8, 2008. Presenters will include Dr. Fletcher as well as John Pasquini, M.D., FACC, medical director of the Presbyterian Chest Pain Unit, Richard Pearce, executive director of the Presbyterian Cardiovascular Institute (CVI) and Cathy Rabb, manager of CVI projects and initiatives.
Irving, Tex.-based VHA, Inc. is a national healthcare alliance that provides industry-leading supply chain management services and supports the formation of regional and national networks to help members improve their clinical and economic performance.
