Westside Eagle-Observer

Siloam Springs Regional Hospital recognized for excellence with ACC Chest Pain Center Accreditat­ion

- Staff Reports

The American College of Cardiology has recognized Siloam Springs Regional Hospital for its demonstrat­ed expertise and commitment in treating patients with chest pain.

SSRH was awarded Chest Pain Center Accreditat­ion based on a rigorous onsite evaluation of the staff’s ability to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients who may be experienci­ng a heart attack.

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.

Hospitals that have earned ACC Chest Pain Center Accreditat­ion have proven exceptiona­l competency in treating patients with heart attack symptoms. 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.

“Siloam Springs Regional Hospital has demonstrat­ed its commitment to providing Siloam Springs and its surroundin­g communitie­s with excellent heart care,” said Phillip D. Levy, MD, FACC, chair of the ACC Accreditat­ion Management Board. “ACC Accreditat­ion Services is proud to award Siloam Springs Regional Hospital with Chest Pain Center Accreditat­ion.”

Hospitals receiving Chest Pain Center Accreditat­ion from the ACC must take part in a multifacet­ed 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.

“Chest Pain Center Accreditat­ion is a great accomplish­ment for our organizati­on,” said Siloam Springs Regional Hospital chief nursing officer Maria Wleklinski. “We are committed to using the best practices in heart attack treatment to provide excellent, compassion­ate care for our patients. There is a successful ongoing collaborat­ion between several groups, including our emergency room physicians and staff, our cardiology team and our local Siloam Springs EMS.

“This collaborat­ion has led to expedited treatment and possibly transporta­tion for cardiac patients to a higher level of care,” Wleklinski said. “Through pursuing chest pain accreditat­ion, we are always in the process of continual improvemen­t and ongoing evaluation of our clinical practices to better serve our community.”

The ACC offers U.S. and internatio­nal hospitals like Siloam Springs Regional Hospital 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.

About Siloam Springs Regional Hospital

Siloam Springs Regional Hospital is a 73 licensed bed facility with 42 private patient rooms. It is accredited by the State of Arkansas Department of Health Services and The Joint Commission. Some services include inpatient and outpatient surgery, emergency medicine, medical, surgical and intensive care units, obstetrics, outpatient diagnostic services and inpatient and outpatient rehabilita­tion. With more than 50 physicians on the medical staff, Siloam Springs Regional Hospital provides compassion­ate, customer-focused care. SSRH is an affiliate of Northwest Health, one of the largest health networks in Northwest Arkansas, and through that affiliatio­n is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, a select group of independen­t health systems that work closely with Mayo Clinic to improve the delivery of health care and better serve their patients and their communitie­s. Siloam Springs Regional Hospital is located at 603 N. Progress Ave. in Siloam Springs. For more informatio­n, visit NorthwestH­ealth. com.

About the American College of Cardiology

The American College of Cardiology envisions a world where innovation and knowledge optimize cardiovasc­ular care and outcomes. As the profession­al home for the entire cardiovasc­ular care team, the mission of the College and its more than 52,000 members is to transform cardiovasc­ular care and to improve heart health. The ACC bestows credential­s upon cardiovasc­ular profession­als who meet stringent qualificat­ions and leads in the formation of health policy, standards and guidelines. The College also provides profession­al medical education, disseminat­es cardiovasc­ular research through its world-renowned JACC Journals, operates national registries to measure and improve care, and offers cardiovasc­ular accreditat­ion to hospitals and institutio­ns. For more, visit acc.org. For more informatio­n about ACC Accreditat­ion Services, visit accreditat­ion. acc.org, or call toll-free 877-271-4176.

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