SageWest Health Care Recognized for Excellence with ACC Chest Pain Center Accreditation

The American College of Cardiology has recognized SageWest Health Care for its demonstrated expertise and commitment in treating patients with chest pain. SageWest Health Care in Riverton and Lander was awarded Chest Pain Center Accreditation based on rigorous onsite evaluation of the staff’s ability to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients who may be experiencing a heart attack.

“SageWest Health Care has demonstrated its commitment to providing Fremont County communities with excellent heart care,” said Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, FACC, chair of the ACC Accreditation Management Board. “ACC Accreditation Services is proud to award SageWest with Chest Pain Center Accreditation.”

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.

“People tend to wait when they think they might be having a heart attack, and that’s a mistake,” said Dr. Greg Clifford, Emergency Services and Chest Pain Medical Director of SageWest Health Care. “The average patient arrives in the emergency department more than two hours after the onset of symptoms, but what they don’t realize is that the sooner a heart attack is treated, the less damage to the heart and the better the outcome for the patient. With our new accreditation, we hope to bring greater awareness to the importance of timely care and help even more people in our communities.”

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.

“Earning Chest Pain Center accreditation is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our clinical team and our community partners, who have been working collaboratively to ensure our hospital is prepared to provide high quality care to patients when heart attacks strike,” said John Whiteside, CEO of SageWest Health Care. “SageWest’s top priority is to provide quality healthcare close to home, and this accomplishment demonstrates one of the many ways we continually work to enhance and improve our service.”

Hospitals receiving Chest Pain Center Accreditation from the ACC must take part in a multi-faceted 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.