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BISMARCK — North Dakota Health and Human Services Emergency Medical Systems Unit announced it has recognized CHI Mercy Health Valley City as the first Acute Cardiac Ready Hospital in North Dakota.
"Aligning with the state's mission of serving North Dakotans, CHI Mercy has worked to meet hospital standards for designation, evaluation and quality improvement," said Dr. Nizar Wehbi, North Dakota state health officer.
“The Acute Cardiac Ready Designation shows how hard we work to give our patients the best possible care we can offer," said Alana McClellan, cardiac coordinator and emergency room manager, CHI Mercy Hospital Valley City. "We worked with all the key players that help patients in a cardiac event such as dispatch, ambulance and hospital staff. We developed a quick response process for STEMI, or heart attack patients, back in 2009 but have continually updated our processes to improve.”
The criteria for the Acute Cardiac Ready Hospital designation are developed by a task force of cardiovascular health experts and based on nationally recognized clinical practice guidelines. These criteria include standards for pre-hospital care, the emergency assessment of STEMI patients, treatment, the transfer process and performance improvement. Designated centers contribute to a state cardiac registry. The registry data is used to implement performance improvement projects with the intent to optimize patient care.
“The Acute Cardiovascular Emergency Medical System legislation has set North Dakota apart as one of the first states to designate Acute Cardiac Ready Hospitals as part of a system of integrated care," said Christine Graff, North Dakota Health and Human Services cardiac and stroke systems coordinator.
"We will continue our work in establishing and maintaining a comprehensive cardiovascular system that encourages evidence-based standards of care and continuous quality improvement to improve outcomes and reduce morbidity and mortality related to cardiovascular disease.”
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HHS encourages all critical access hospitals in North Dakota to work toward this achievement which signifies quality care and a commitment to improved health outcomes for cardiac patients. Visit http://bit.ly/3UovuyU to learn more about how to become cardiac-ready.
