Riverside Community Hospital Receives Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI with Resuscitation Accreditation

Riverside– April 6, 2016 - Riverside Community Hospital received full Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI with Resuscitation Accreditation from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC) on February 27, 2016.

Heart attacks are the leading cause of death in the United States, with 600,000 people dying annually of heart disease. More than five million Americans visit hospitals each year with chest pain. SCPC’s goal is to significantly reduce the mortality rate of these patients by teaching the public to recognize and react to the early symptoms of a possible heart attack, reduce the time that it takes to receive treatment, and increase the accuracy and effectiveness of treatment.

An Accredited Chest Pain Center’s (CPC) evidence-based, protocol-driven and systematic approach to cardiac patient care allows clinicians to reduce time to treatment during the critical early stages of a heart attack. Accredited facilities better monitor patients when it is not initially clear whether or not a patient is having a coronary event. Such monitoring ensures patients are neither sent home too early nor needlessly admitted.

“This accreditation exemplifies Riverside Community Hospital’s commitment to bringing life-saving care to those who are experiencing a heart attack”, said Patrick Brilliant, President and CEO of Riverside Community Hospital. “We have a dedicated team of professionals who have a history of excellence when it comes to caring for those patients in need of cardiac care.”

Throughout the year, Riverside Community Hospital hosts a number of events which focus on educating the community on understanding signs and symptoms of a heart attack and the importance of calling 911 if you think you are experiencing one.

“As an accredited Chest Pain Center and STEMI (heart attack) Receiving Center, this accreditation demonstrates a higher level of commitment and quality care to the patients we serve,” said Si Nguyen, Director of Cardiovascular Services at Riverside Community Hospital. “Our cardiovascular team and Emergency Department team are prepared 24/7 to receive patients with the most complex heart conditions and understand that the sooner a heart attack is treated, the better outcome there is for the patient. This accreditation says a lot about our hospital and the team who care for these patients.”

SCPC’s CPC Accreditation process came about as greater numbers of facilities in the United States sought to establish standards and adopt best practices in the quality of care provided to patients experiencing chest pain. SCPC’s CPC Accreditation process ensures that hospitals meet or exceed an array of stringent criteria and undergo a comprehensive onsite review by a team of accreditation review specialists. Hospitals that receive SCPC CPC Accreditation status have achieved a higher level of expertise in dealing with patients who present with symptoms of a heart attack. They emphasize the importance of standardized diagnostic and treatment programs that provide more efficient and effective evaluation as well as more appropriate and rapid treatment of patients with chest pain and other heart attack symptoms. They also serve as a point of entry into the healthcare system to evaluate and treat other medical problems, and they help to promote a healthier lifestyle in an attempt to reduce the risk factors for heart attack.

By achieving SCPC’s Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI with Resuscitation Accreditation status, Riverside Community Hospital demonstrates expertise in the following areas:

• Integrating the emergency department with the local emergency medical system
• Assessing, diagnosing, and treating patients quickly
• Effectively treating patients at low risk for acute coronary syndrome and no assignable cause for their symptoms
• Continually seeking to improve processes and procedures
• Ensuring the competence and training of Accredited Chest Pain Center personnel
• Maintaining organizational structure and commitment
• Constructing a functional design that promotes optimal patient care
• Supporting community outreach programs that educate the public to promptly seek medical care if they display symptoms of a possible heart attack

About Riverside Community Hospital

Founded in 1901, Riverside Community Hospital is a 373 licensed bed, full-service acute care hospital in the heart of the Inland Empire. RCH has been recognized as a Top Performing Hospital and has invested in a new campus expansion project that includes a new 7-story patient tower, 3-story medical office building, and a recently completed new 5-level, state-of-the-art parking garage. With over 500 physicians on staff, representing over 200 specialties and over 1,900 employees, Riverside Community Hospital is an Inland Empire leader in providing advanced, comprehensive health care to the Inland region. RCH houses one of the largest Emergency Room and Trauma Center in the Inland Empire at 50. RCH is the largest STEMI (heart attack) receiving centers and is a fully accredited Chest Pain Center. Centers of Excellence include the HeartCare Institute, offering invasive and non-invasive cardiac procedures, Center of Excellence for Surgical Weight Loss, the Transplant Program, the Cancer Center and a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Riverside Community Hospital is also committed to training the next generation of physicians through its Graduate Medical Education program.

About the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care

The Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC) is an international, nonprofit organization that focuses on transforming cardiovascular care by assisting facilities in their efforts to create cardiovascular centers of excellence that deliver quality care and patient satisfaction in a cost sensitive environment. SCPC offers individual hospitals and hospital systems the support needed to effectively reduce variations of care and bridge existing gaps in treatment. Through its collaboration with actively engaged, multidisciplinary teams, SCPC is “Taking Science to the Bedside™” and improving outcomes in the management of heart disease

For more information on SCPC’s accreditation and certification opportunities, visit www.scpc.org, or call toll free 1-877-271-4176.

Riverside Community Hospital
4445 Magnolia Avenue
Riverside, CA 92501
www.riversidecommunityhospital.com