BMH-Golden Triangle Lands Award

PRESS RELEASE

Columbus, Miss., Nov. 6, 2013 – Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle recently received the American College of Cardiology Foundation’s National Cardiovascular Data Registry Get with the Guidelines Silver Performance Award for 2013.

Baptist Golden Triangle is one of only 131 hospitals nationwide to win such award. The award recognizes Baptist Golden Triangle’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients as outlined by American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.

“The time is right for us to be focused on improving the quality of heart care by implementing this new program. The number of heart attack patient eligible for treatment is expected to grow over the next decade due to increasing incidence of heart disease and a larger aging population,” said Sherry Elmore, director of cardiac services at Baptist Golden Triangle.

With 12-lead EKGs on all of its front line ambulances, Baptist Golden Triangle EMTs have the capability to send information on a heart attack patient directly to the Emergency Room from the field, and if necessary, activate the cardiac catheterization lab, before the patient ever arrives at the hospital, Elmore explained.

“A lot of times, the patient can bypass the ER and go directly to the cath lab, saving precious minutes and heart muscle,” she said. For the optimum chance of survival, the American College of Cardiology has established a goal of 90 minutes from the time of recognition of a heart attack to the time blood flow is re-established, or a heart cath is performed, Elmore explained. “Our average time last quarter was 53 minutes,” she added, well below the 90-minute threshold.

Cardiac rehab also plays a vital roll in the rehabilitation of the heart attack patient, according to Elmore. Baptist Golden Triangle patients are enrolled in the program at Baptist or a program closest to where they live, before they are even discharged from the hospital, she said. Participating in such a program greatly lowers the risk that a patient will have a repeat heart attack.

With 315 beds, Baptist Golden Triangle is the largest regional hospital affiliated with the Memphis, Tenn.-based Baptist Memorial Health Care system. With physicians and surgeons representing almost every medical specialty practicing at the hospital and more than 1,000 health care employees, Baptist Golden Triangle offers a wide range of comprehensive medical care to patients of all ages.

In addition to the Baptist Cancer Center-Golden Triangle, the hospital offers a variety of services to the community, including Baptist Behavioral Health Care for those with behavioral and mental health problems; an emergency room with 24-hour ambulance service; and an extensive rehabilitation department, including cardiac rehab and educational programs.