Accredited Chest Pain Center
Available round the clock and focused on caring for hearts every day of the year, the Eastern New Mexico Medical Center chest pain center team knows the warning signs and delivers rapid treatment to patients in the early stages of heart attacks. Early intervention and attention reduces strain on the heart and creates better outcomes. In addition to helping us provide quality care to patients with heart issues, this pinpoint focus also helps prevent unnecessary admissions if it's not clear if a person is experiencing a coronary event.
Eastern New Mexico Medical Center is proud to be the first Accredited Chest Pain Center with PCI in Southeastern New Mexico. This designation, given by the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC), means that ENMMC has demonstrated expertise in cardiac patient care as measured by a wide range of stringent criteria. This level of cardiac care is achieved by only 12% of all hospitals in the United States.
Hospitals awarded this designation have emergent percutaneous catheter intervention or Primary PCI available 24/7 every day of the year. This means they have a call team made up of the cardiac catheterization (cath) lab staff and an interventional cardiologist who arrive to the facility quickly upon notice of STEMI activation.
Primary PCI consists of urgent balloon angioplasty (with or without stenting), without the previous administration of drug inhibitors, to open the infarct-related artery during an acute myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation (STEMI).
Eastern New Mexico Medical Center provides the region with advanced facilities and technology to better meet your cardiac healthcare needs.
What does SCPC accreditation mean for patients?
- Patients who arrive at Eastern New Mexico Medical Center's ER with symptoms of a heart attack are treated according to quality-of-care measures that are proven to achieve better patient outcomes.
- The hospital must demonstrate our expertise in this treatment during an extensive survey by the SCPC every three years.
- The team approach leads to better outcomes for patients.
Treatment starts from the onset of the patient's symptoms, and includes an interdisciplinary team approach -- EMS personnel, emergency room doctors and nurses, radiology, respiratory, laboratory and many other departments all come together to rapidly diagnose and treat heart attack symptoms. The Accredited Chest Pain Center model is designed to help the hospital plan and organize the delivery of care for potential heart attack victims in a systematic manner.
As an Accredited Chest Pain Center, Eastern New Mexico Medical Center's best practice approach to cardiac care allows us to act fast during the critical first stages of a heart attack.
Early recognition of heart attack symptoms is also a vital part of care. If you or someone you love is experiencing these symptoms, please call 911 immediately.
Heart attacks are not always sudden and intense. Many start slowly, with only mild pain or discomfort. You may not be sure what's wrong – even if you've had a previous heart attack. When in doubt, check it out.
The team of physicians and nurses are here for you. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The accredited Chest Pain Center is open to any patient experiencing heart attack symptoms.