Kadlec Receives Award for Cardiac Care

Regional Medical Center announced in a press release that they received a statewide award for care of patients experiencing chest pain or heart attacks caused by blocked vessels in the heart.

The Foundation for Health Care Quality and Cardiac Care Outcomes Assessment Program (COAP) presented Kadlec with the COAP 2023 Performance Recognition Award this week. Specifically, Kadlec was recognized for its percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) program.

A PCI is a non-surgical procedure using a thin flexible tube that inflates a tiny balloon at the end to place a stent (a device that opens blood vessels in the heart narrowed by plaque buildup). The award is based on quality metrics for low rates of complications, as well as how quickly a patient can get the procedure in an emergency. According to cardiologists, the sooner the vessels are opened, the less damage there is to the heart.

For patients, the combination of quality and being able to receive the procedure rapidly can mean a significant difference in their recovery.

In the press release, Abagail Richardson, RN, STEMI Coordinator, stated, “We’ve worked at this for some time, and we are always looking a tnew and better ways to treat patients. Having a mature program helps us achieve all of these metrics. We also include patients in the decision making, which has made a big difference."

According to Kadlec, the work encompasses many aspects of patient care. From Emergency Medical Services, emergency department nurses receiving specialized cardiac training, emergency physicians following best practices, all the way to nurses and technicians in the cardiac catheterization lab, and the nurses, dietitians, and pharmacists who care for cardiac patients in the hospital after their procedure.

Kadlec began offering PCI procedures in 2001 when it opened the first nationally accredited Chest Pain Center in the region.