Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville Receives ACC Cycle 6 Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI Accreditation
1/30/2020
Northwest Medical Center – Bentonville provides necessary care, resources to patients with heart attack symptoms
(Bentonville, Ark.) Jan. 30, 2020 — The American College of Cardiology has recognized Northwest Medical Center - Bentonville for its demonstrated expertise and commitment in treating patients with chest pain. Northwest Medical Center - Bentonville was awarded Chest Pain Center Accreditation with Primary PCI based on rigorous onsite evaluation of the staff’s ability to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients who may be experiencing a heart attack.
““Inviting an outside entity in to evaluate our processes and then validate our quality through accreditation reconfirms our commitment to providing the highest quality of care,” said Denten Park, Market CEO for Northwest Health. “This national accreditation attests to the outstanding work our staff is doing – from the emergency department to the cardiac catheterization lab. And, thanks to the best practices that involve working with first responders, we’re saving more lives than ever before. In a heart attack, time is muscle and heart muscle is life. By working closely with the heroes in the field, we’re getting patients into the cath lab and to life-saving care faster than ever before.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 730,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. The most common symptom of a heart attack for both men and women is chest pain or discomfort. However, women are more likely to have atypical symptoms. Other heart attack symptoms include, but are not limited to, tingling or discomfort in one or both arms, back, shoulder, neck or jaw, shortness of breath, cold sweat, unusual tiredness, heartburn-like feeling, nausea or vomiting, sudden dizziness and fainting.
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is also known as coronary angioplasty. It is a non-surgical procedure that opens narrowed or blocked coronary arteries with a balloon 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 exceptional competency in treating patients with heart attack symptoms and have primary PCI available 24/7 every day of the year. As required to meet the criteria of the accreditation designation, they have streamlined their systems from admission to evaluation to diagnosis and treatment all the way through to appropriate post-discharge care and recommendations and assistance in patient lifestyle changes. In addition, they have formal agreements with other facilities that regularly refer heart attack patients to their facility for primary PCI.
“Northwest Medical Center - Bentonville has demonstrated its commitment to providing Northwest Arkansas with excellent heart care,” said Phillip D. Levy, M.D., FACC, chair of the ACC Accreditation Management Board. “ACC Accreditation Services is proud to award Northwest Medical Center - Bentonville with Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI Accreditation.”
Hospitals receiving Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI Accreditation from the ACC must take part in a multi-faceted clinical process that involves: completing a gap analysis; examining variances of care, developing an action plan; a rigorous onsite review; and monitoring for sustained success. Improved methods and strategies of caring for patients include streamlining processes, implementing of guidelines and standards, and adopting best practices in the care of patients experiencing the signs and symptoms of a heart attack. Facilities that achieve accreditation meet or exceed an array of stringent criteria and have organized a team of doctors, nurses, clinicians and other administrative staff that earnestly support the efforts leading to better patient education and improved patient outcomes.
The ACC offers U.S. and international hospitals like Northwest Medical Center - Bentonville access to a comprehensive suite of cardiac accreditation services designed to optimize patient outcomes and improve hospital financial performance. These services are focused on all aspects of cardiac care, including emergency treatment of heart attacks.
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