UMMC achieves new status as accredited chest pain center

The University of Mississippi Medical Center has received chest pain center accreditation from the Society of Chest Pain Centers, an international organization dedicated to eliminating heart disease as the number one cause of death worldwide.

To become an accredited chest pain center, UMMC successfully passed a rigorous evaluation by SCPC for its ability to assess, diagnose and treat patients who may be experiencing a heart attack. To the community served by the Medical Center, this means that processes are in place that meet strict criteria aimed at:

• Reducing the time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis and treatment
• Treating patients more quickly during the critical window of time when the heart muscle can be preserved
• Monitoring patients when it is not certain that they are having a heart attack to ensure that they are not sent home too quickly or needlessly admitted to the hospital

"This accreditation recognizes that our processes for treating heart attacks are in keeping with national standards," said Dr. Richard Summers, interim chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine. "This review of our facilities, capabilities and staff as it relates to acute coronary syndromes was a more rigorous process than evaluations done by the SCPC in previous years, and it was difficult to achieve."

Summers said UMMC's state-of-the-art health care encompasses the entire continuum of care for the heart patient, including dispatch, Emergency Medical System, emergency department, catheterization lab, and the hospital. By becoming an accredited chest pain center, UMMC has enhanced the quality of care for the cardiac patient and has demonstrated its commitment to higher standards, he said.

About UMMC

The University of Mississippi Medical Center, located in Jackson, is the state's only academic medical center. University of Mississippi Health Care represents the clinical programs of the Medical Center and includes University Hospitals and Health System and University Physicians, the faculty group practice. UMMC encompasses five health science schools, including medicine, nursing, health related professions, dentistry and graduate studies, as well as the site where University of Mississippi pharmacy students do their clinical training.

The Medical Center's threefold mission is to educate tomorrow's health-care professionals, conduct innovative research to improve human health, and to provide the highest quality care available to the state's citizens. A major goal of the Medical Center is the improvement of the health of Mississippians and the elimination of health disparities. For more information, contact the Division of Public Affairs at (601) 984-1100 or visit us at http://info.umc.edu/.

About the Society of Chest Pain Centers

Established in 1998, SCPC is a patient-centric nonprofit international organization focused on improving care for patients with heart disease. Central to SCPC's mission is the question, "What is right for the patient?" In response, SCPC promotes protocol-based medicine, often delivered through a chest pain center model, to address the diagnosis and treatment of acute coronary syndrome and heart failure and to promote the adoption of process improvement science by healthcare providers. To best fulfill this mission, SCPC provides accreditation and education to facilities striving for optimum cardiac care. SCPC is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. For more information on SCPC and accreditation opportunities, visit www.scpcp.org, or call toll-free 1-877-271-4176.