Nobody plans on suffering a heart attack. But last year, 461 north Iowans did. By being part of the Mercy Chest Pain Network, Hansen Family Hospital has special access to the Mercy Heart and Vascular Institute for treatment of patients with chest pain.
We have the ability to provide immediate life-saving treatment right here in our emergency room. If you need more care, we will quickly get you on your way to Mercy where the appropriate treatments will be ready and waiting for your arrival. This means faster treatment for you, giving you the best chance for a faster and fuller recovery.
The Mercy - North Iowa Chest Pain Network’s mission is to implement a uniform approach across the Northern Iowa and Southern Minnesota region for the treatment of heart attacks. This includes emergency response, diagnosis and treatment for cardiac care. Mercy - North Iowa has partnered with community hospitals and emergency medical personnel to share best practices for the care of the cardiac patient. By doing so, we strive to provide the best quality cardiac care to all patients in the region, regardless of their location.
Goals and Objectives of Mercy - North Iowa Chest Pain Network
To improve the health of the community by working to decrease the death rate attributed to heart attacks
- To improve the coordination between emergency medical provider services (EMS), local health care providers including physicians and nursing specialists and hospital facilities
- To significantly decrease the time between diagnosis of a heart attack and clinical intervention in hospitals
- To instill standardized best practice guidelines at all partnering institutions
- To cultivate positive relationships between EMS services, Mercy - North Iowa and member hospitals
- To improve emergency services in outlying communities
What is a Chest Pain Member?
A Chest Pain Member is dedicated to the treatment of patients suffering from chest pain, and cares for these patients using best practice protocols and structures. The components of a Chest Pain Member include the entire facility working together to provide the best possible care for the chest pain patient from the time a call is placed to 911 saying that someone is having a heart attack, to the patient’s discharge or transfer for cardiac intervention. Time is crucial in treating a heart attack and therefore is a major point of emphasis for the Chest Pain Member.
Network Member contributions include:
Attending and actively participate in Chest Pain Operations
- Providing input on how to improve process surrounding heart attack care
- Assisting in monitoring the quality of the Chest Pain Network
- Participating in emergency heart attack drills
- Supporting community outreach programs
- Communicating Chest Pain Network best practices to staff members.