Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital Awarded Prestigious ACC Chest Pain Center Re-Accreditation

Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital (LCRH) has again earned the prestigious Chest Pain Center Re-Accreditation from the American College of Cardiology (ACC). This recognition highlights LCRH's exceptional expertise and unwavering commitment to treating patients with chest pain and heart attack symptoms.

Each year, more than 730,000 Americans suffer from heart attacks, making timely and effective care essential. The most common symptom of a heart attack is chest pain or discomfort, but atypical symptoms can occur, especially in women. Recognizing these symptoms and providing immediate care is critical to saving lives.

LCRH has been awarded Chest Pain Center Re-Accreditation based on a thorough onsite evaluation of the hospital's staff's ability to evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients experiencing a heart attack. This accreditation signifies that LCRH has streamlined its systems from admission to evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment all the way through to post-discharge care, lifestyle recommendations, and patient education. Earning ACC Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI Accreditation means that Lake Cumberland has proven exceptional competency in treating patients with heart attack symptoms and has primary PCI available 24/7, every day of the year. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is also known as coronary angioplasty. It is a non-surgical procedure that opens narrowed or blocked coronary arteries with a balloon to relieve symptoms of heart disease or reduce heart damage during or after a heart attack.  In addition, the hospital has formal agreements with other facilities that regularly refer heart attack patients to their facility for primary PCI.

Robert Parker, CEO of Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital, emphasized the importance of seeking immediate care for heart attack symptoms. “In critical moments, every second matters, and your immediate destination should be the nearest emergency room. We are grateful to have dedicated professionals at Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital who are unwavering in their commitment to addressing potential heart attack symptoms. If you or a loved one encounter chest pain, rest assured that our team is well-prepared to identify and manage your symptoms."

Nicole Roman, BSN, RN, Accreditation Review Specialist, praised LCRH's commitment to cardiovascular care. "Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital demonstrates notable organizational and leadership commitment to excellence, quality initiatives, and best cardiology practices, as evidenced by this third re-accreditation with ACC. We acknowledge the significant effort and commitment of the multi-disciplinary team led by Steve White and Dr Hemraj Makwana. This achievement is noteworthy and deserves special recognition," stated Nicole.

To achieve this re-accreditation, LCRH underwent a rigorous clinical process, including a gap analysis, examination of variances in care, the development of action plans, onsite evaluations, and ongoing monitoring for success. These efforts have led to improved patient outcomes, streamlined processes, and the adoption of best practices in caring for heart attack patients.

Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital's dedication to cardiovascular care extends beyond its walls through its affiliation with the University of Kentucky's Gill Heart & Vascular Institute. This partnership aims to enhance access to high-quality cardiovascular care for local patients. Dr. Navin Rajagopalan, Director of the UK Gill Affiliate Network stated, “We take great pride in our collaboration with our colleagues at Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital as we work together and support their efforts to attain this reaccreditation. Their dedication to delivering the utmost in cardiovascular care quality is a shared commitment.”

In its fourth year of partnership, the affiliation provides cardiovascular-specific education and training programs for local healthcare professionals, ensuring patients can access the latest cardiovascular information and services close to home.

Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital continues to uphold its commitment to providing top-tier cardiovascular care to the community, and the ACC's Chest Pain Center Re-Accreditation is a testament to its dedication to patient well-being.

For more information about Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital and its cardiovascular services, please visit LakeCumberlandHospital.com/heart.