EL CENTRO – January 24, 2018 – El Centro Regional Medical Center (ECRMC) announced today that it has received Chest Pain Center Accreditation from the American College of Cardiology (ACC).

The hospital was recognized for its demonstrated expertise and commitment in treating patients with chest pain. ECRMC was awarded accreditation after onsite evaluation of the staff’s ability to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients who may be experiencing a heart attack.

More than 730,000 American suffer heart attacks each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hospitals that have earned ACC Chest Pain Accreditation have proven exceptional competency in treating patients with heart attack symptoms. ECRMC sees an average of 200 acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients per month.

“ACC Accreditation Services is proud to bestow Chest Pain Center Accreditation to ECRMC,” said Abraham Joseph, vice president of ACC Accreditation Service. “We commend ECRMC for its demonstrated commitment to providing Imperial County with excellent cardiac care.”

Chest Pain Center Accreditation is a designation for those facilities that do not have primary PCI coverage every day of the year. Facilities with this designation will have a robust detailed transfer/referral protocol in place, which addresses transfer procedures and/or fibrinolytic therapy if the expected First Medical Contact (FMC) to intervention time will exceed 120 minutes.

“We are very pleased to have received this accreditation,” said Dr. Adolphe Edward, Chief Executive Officer of ECRMC. “Our medical staff works diligently to ensure every patient receives excellent care. In addition, we work to educate the public about the importance of cardiac care and recognizing early signs of cardiac emergencies to improve survival rates in our community.”

With this accreditation, ECRMC has access to a comprehensive suite of co-branded cardiac services designed to optimize patient outcomes and improve hospital performance. Throughout the year ECRMC will use these services to further improve care for patients in Imperial County.

About ECRMC

El Centro Regional Medical Center is an acute-care medical center, serving the health care needs of the Imperial Valley since 1956. In addition to the 161-bed hospital, ECRMC also owns and operates the Oncology & Hematology of Imperial Valley, Wound Healing Center and outpatient clinics in El Centro and Calexico. The outpatient centers provide exceptional primary and specialty care for residents seeking enhanced well-being and improved quality of life.