Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth is the first facility in the country to earn the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval and the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check mark for Primary Heart Attack Center Certification.
“It’s definitely an honor to be the first hospital in the country to earn this distinction, but only because it confirms we’re doing what’s best for our patients,” said Joseph DeLeon, Texas Health Fort Worth hospital president via release. “These efforts to continuously strive for excellence demonstrate the commitment and compassion of all involved – from the physicians on the medical staff, to nurses, to each and every hospital employee.”
The hospital underwent an onsite review where the facility’s diagnosis and treatment of ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction, one of the most common and lethal types of heart attacks. The designation means the hospital focuses on symptom onset and first medical contact, continuous intervention, and keeps treatment processes quick and efficient.
“Restoring normal blood flow to someone’s heart as soon as possible is imperative, and it’s worth all of the team effort,” Dr. John Willard, an interventional cardiologist on the hospital’s staff said via release. “It means effective and constant communication in the field between paramedics and the hospital to achieve accurate heart attack diagnosis. Even before the patient enters the hospital doors, the emergency department and cath lab must be on the same accord. Medical experts are often quoted as saying ‘time is muscle,’ and with someone in the U.S. having a heart attack every 40 seconds, getting immediate care can be a matter of life or death.”
