MEDICAL CITY DALLAS HOSPITAL RECEIVES CHEST PAIN CENTER ACCREDITATION FROM THE SOCIETY OF CHEST PAIN CENTERS
New Status of Accreditation Validates Hospital's Specialized Capabilities to Diagnose and Treat Chest Pain

Medical City Dallas Hospital recently received full Chest Pain Center Accreditation from the Society of Chest Pain Centers (SCPC), an international organization dedicated to eliminating heart disease as the number one cause of death worldwide.  Becoming an accredited Chest Pain Center highlights Medical City's ability to provide specialized care by ensuring that patients complaining of chest pain or discomfort are given the immediate treatment necessary to avoid as much heart damage as possible.

"When it comes to a heart attack, time lost can equal heart muscle lost," said Dr. Matt Bush, medical director of emergency services at Medical City.  "Our specially trained team, including our Clinical Decision Unit, communicates and works seamlessly with the local emergency personnel to ensure that patients get the treatment they need during the critical early stages of a heart attack when an accurate diagnosis and swift action give us the best chance to help save that person's life."

To become an Accredited Chest Pain Center, Medical City underwent rigorous evaluations by the SCPC for its ability to assess, diagnose and treat patients with chest pain who may be on the verge of a heart attack.  Medical City met strict criteria aimed at reducing the time lapse from the onset of chest pain symptoms to the diagnosis and treatment, treating patients more quickly at the onset of chest pain and monitoring patients when it is not certain that they are having a heart attack to ensure that they are not discharged prematurely.

According to the SCPC, Medical City exemplifies the importance of standardized diagnostic and treatment programs that provide a more efficient and effective evaluation as well as more appropriate and rapid treatment of patients with chest pain and other heart attack symptoms.  Medical City also serves as a point of entry into the healthcare system to evaluate and treat other medical problems and promote a healthier lifestyle in an effort to minimize the risk factors for a heart attack. 

"Medical City is honored to be recognized as an accredited chest pain center," said Erol Akdamar, president and CEO.  "Our team has worked diligently to be able to thoroughly diagnose and treat those who come to us with severe chest pain, in some cases preventing heart attacks before they occur."

The SCPC says people tend to wait too long before going to the hospital when they begin to experience heart attack like symptoms and that is a mistake.  The average patient arrives in the Emergency Room more than two hours after the start of their symptoms, unaware of the fact that the sooner a heart attack is treated, the less damage occurs to the heart and the better the outcome.