Vim & Vigor - Fall 2010 - (Page 52)

Spotlight on St. Catherine hoSpital Heart of the Matter 81-year-old woman saved thanks to quick action at St. Catherine Hospital O St. Catherine Hospital’s Chest Pain Center is accredited by the Society of Chest Pain Centers. n a Monday morning last April, everyone in the Guzman household was sick with the flu. So when 81-year-old Lucy Guzman got up at 7 a.m. to babysit her grandson and didn’t feel well, she immediately thought she had the flu, too. Guzman had something more ominous than the flu; she was suffering from a heart attack. Luckily, Guzman would soon discover she was surrounded by highly trained, skilled professionals —from East Chicago’s dispatchers to the EMTs to St. Catherine Hospital’s Emergency Department and Cath Lab staff. As a result, she survived to tell her story. “I ended up with a stent in my heart,” she says. “It’s not something you’d ever expect, but when you feel sick, don’t wait. Get to the hospital immediately.” Guzman and her family live near the East Chicago fire station, and family members who suspected something other than the flu was happening called 911 right away that morning. “The EMTs were there almost immediately and began to give me medications. Then they called ahead to St. Catherine,” says Guzman. “They [medical staff] were waiting for me at the hospital. When I got there, doctors and nurses began all kinds of tests.” St. Catherine Hospital’s Chest Pain Center is accredited by the Society of Chest Pain Centers (SCPC). St. Catherine Hospital earned the distinction based on a rigorous evaluation of its cardiac care services and for its practices, guidelines and treatment during the critical first stages of heart attack. “I owe my wonderful care to the nursing staff who were really on the ball and the doctors who treated me like they had no other patient to care for,” Guzman says. Patient Lucy Guzman is given a hug of reassurance by St. Catherine Hospital Chest Pain Center Coordinator Virginia Madrinan, R.N. Guzman advises, “When you feel sick, don’t wait—get to the hospital immediately.” Don’t DisMiss syMptoMs As an accredited chest pain center, St. Catherine Hospital works seamlessly with area emergency medical services and internal hospital departments. This ensures that patients complaining of chest pain or discomfort are provided with immediate treatment that can help to limit potential heart damage. “St. Catherine Hospital follows evidencebased guidelines and nationally established standards of practice that have proven to provide the best outcomes for our patients,” says JoAnn Birdzell, chief executive officer of St. Catherine Hospital. “Becoming accredited by the SCPC demonstrates our commitment and dedication to providing the best care possible to the residents of our community.” 52 Vim & Vigor • Fa ll 2 010 

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Fall 2010

Vim &_Vigor - Fall 2010
Contents
Community Message
Community Briefs
Good Health Is Good Business
Quality Care to Count On
Healthy Habits start in Homeroom
What’s in Your Medicine Cabinet?
See the Future
The Female Factor
Take a Bite Out of Stress
Starring Role
Shouldering the Pain
Train Your Brain
What Now?
Choose Your Own Adventure
Gold Medal Workouts
Spotlight on Community Hospital
Spotlight on St. Catherine Hospital
Spotlight on St. Mary Medical Center
Seeing Safety

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2010

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