The Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC) recently gave Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine full Atrial Fibrillation Certification status. Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine is the first Texas hospital to earn full certification. The three-year certification was announced as the hospital celebrates September as National Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month.
“We are pleased to be recognized as the first hospital in Texas to receive this important certification,” says Steve Newton, West Region president of Baylor Health Care System. “We remain committed to offering quality heart and stroke programs that provide the community with advance treatment options for atrial fibrillation.”
Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and has become recognized as a health concern that in some cases can lead to stroke and possible death. Nearly 3 million patients in the United States have atrial fibrillation and the numbers are rapidly increasing as our population ages. Atrial fibrillation patients use more healthcare services and have much higher healthcare costs than those without the disease. SCPC’s goal is to help facilities evaluate and manage the atrial fibrillation patient more effectively, improve patient outcomes, and educate patients and healthcare providers to more efficiently care for this disease.
“We are excited to work collaboratively with the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care to improve the care of the approximately 400 Atrial Fibrillation patients that we see each year, says Michelle Speicher, director of cardiovascular services at Baylor Grapevine. “Our goal is to be a center of excellence in Atrial Fibrillation treatment to help patients within our community with this complex disease process.
Baylor Grapevine has demonstrated its expertise and commitment to quality patient care by meeting or exceeding a wide set of stringent criteria and undergoing a comprehensive review by an accreditation review specialist from the SCPC. Baylor Grapevine’s protocol-driven and systematic approach to patient evaluation and management allows physicians to reduce time to treatment and to risk stratify patients to decrease their length of stay in the emergency department and the hospital. Key areas in which a facility with Atrial Fibrillation Certification must demonstrate expertise include the following:
- Emergency Department Integration with Emergency Medical Services
- Emergency Assessment of Patients with Atrial Fibrillation
- Risk Stratification of the Atrial Fibrillation Patient
- Treatment for Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department in Atrial Fibrillation
- Atrial Fibrillation Discharge Criteria from the Emergency Department, Observation Services, or Inpatient Stay
- Atrial Fibrillation Patient Education in the Emergency Department, Observation Services, and Inpatient Unit
- Personnel, Competencies and Training
- Process Improvement
- Organizational Structure and Commitment
- Atrial Fibrillation Community Outreach
Contact: LaKisha Howard
lakisha.howard@baylorhealth.edu
817-329-2678
About Baylor Scott & White Health
As the largest not-for-profit health system in the state of Texas, Baylor Scott & White is empowering customers to live well by reimagining traditional healthcare — creating more convenient, personalized and informed experiences. It serves more than three million customers through 53 hospitals, including flagship academic medical centers in Dallas, Fort Worth and Temple; the Baylor Scott & White Research Institute; 1,300+ access points; 59,000+ team members; and its leading digital platform — MyBSWHealth. The system's award-winning employer solutions include Baylor Scott & White Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance and Levanto — a company offering digitally enabled health products. Founded as a Christian ministry of healing more than a century ago, Baylor Scott & White's mission is to promote the health and well-being of all individuals, families and communities. For more information, visit: BSWHealth.com
