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Saint Barnabas Health Care System Receives Prestigious Livingston, N.J. -- The Society of Chest Pain Centers has granted the designation of Accredited Chest Pain Center to seven acute care hospitals of the Saint Barnabas Health Care System for receiving full accreditation status from the Accreditation Review Committee on June 27, 2005. The Saint Barnabas Health Care System is the only system in New Jersey to achieve this designation and is among a distinguished group of 141 hospitals nationwide. The seven hospitals are Community Medical Center, Toms River, Clara Maass Medical Center, Belleville, Kimball Medical Center, Lakewood, Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston, and Union Hospital, Union. “This is a wonderful honor and a true reflection of our System’s collaborative approach to better manage the early treatment of acute coronary disease while optimizing quality care and positive hospital outcomes,” says Ronald J. Del Mauro, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Saint Barnabas Health Care System. “It sets our Emergency Departments apart as the place to go in the state for anyone experiencing chest pain.” The multidisciplinary approach to achieving this milestone involved a team including physicians from cardiology, internal medicine and emergency medicine, as well as nursing, pharmacy, laboratory, radiology and a critical link, Emergency Medical Services (EMS). “The Chest Pain Center accreditation is an exciting collaborative System-wide project guided by evidence-based medicine,” explains Jennifer Waxler, D.O., Medical Director of the Emergency Department at Monmouth Medical Center, an affiliate of the Saint Barnabas Health Care System. “This is a definite benefit for patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes in terms of earlier aggressive and preventative multidisciplinary treatment plans.” Heart attacks are the leading cause of death in the United States, with 600,000 people dying annually of heart disease. More than five million Americans visit hospitals each year with chest pain. The goal of the Society of Chest Pain Centers is to significantly reduce the mortality rate of these patients by teaching the public to recognize and react to the early symptoms of a possible heart attack, reduce the time that it takes to receive treatment, and increase the accuracy and effectiveness of treatment. Achieving this prestigious designation means that the Saint Barnabas Health Care System hospitals have met the stringent standards required by the Society of Chest Pain Centers. The approach to patient management allows physicians to reduce time to treatment during the critical early stages of a heart attack, when treatments are most effective. “We can better evaluate patients when it is not yet clear whether they are having a coronary event,” explains Gary Rogal, M.D., Chief of Cardiology for the Saint Barnabas Health Care System. “This evaluation helps ensure that a patient is neither sent home too early nor needlessly admitted. For those patients who are having a coronary event,” he adds, “we can more rapidly diagnose and treat them, ensuring that they are appropriately cared for.” John A. Brennan, M.D., Senior Vice President of Clinical and Emergency Services, and Nancy Holecek, R.N., Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services for the Saint Barnabas Health Care System, add that the System’s recent accreditation sends a clear message to the community that we are committed to providing a high level of cardiac care. "Our Emergency Departments quickly assess and treat patients with chest pain to achieve the best possible outcomes. We believe this is a significant resource for our patients and the community." With the rise of Chest Pain Centers in the United States came the need to establish standards designed to improve the consistency and quality of care provided to patients. The Society's accreditation process insures centers meet or exceed quality-of-care measures in acute cardiac medicine. The Chest Pain Centers throughout the Saint Barnabas Health Care System have demonstrated their expertise and commitment to quality patient care by meeting or exceeding a wide set of stringent criteria and completing on-site evaluations by a review team from the Society of Chest Pain Centers. Key areas in which a Chest Pain Center must demonstrate expertise include:
About the Society of Chest Pain Centers The Society of Chest Pain Centers (SCPC) is an international professional society focused on improving care for patients with acute coronary syndromes and related maladies. Established in 1998, the Society is dedicated to patient advocacy and focusing on ischemic heart disease. Central to its mission is the question, "What is right for the patient?" In answer, the Society promotes protocol-based medicine, often delivered through a Chest Pain Center model to address the diagnosis and treatment of acute coronary syndromes, heart failure, and to promote the adoption of process improvement science by healthcare providers. SCPC is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. About the Saint Barnabas Health Care System The Saint Barnabas Health Care System is New Jersey’s largest integrated delivery system. The System includes eight acute care hospitals, nine nursing and rehabilitation centers and three assisted living facilities, ambulatory care facilities, geriatric centers, a statewide behavioral health network and comprehensive home care and hospice programs. Our Emergency Departments are among the busiest in New Jersey; Community Medical Center is the busiest in the state, with Newark Beth Israel Medical Center ranking second and Saint Barnabas Medical Center ranking eighth out of 86 emergency departments statewide. Date: July 27, 2005 Contact: Ellen Greene, Vice President, Public Relations & Marketing; (973) 322-4018 [ top ] |
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