Northside-Forsyth Recognized For Heart Attack Care

CUMMING, GA — About 750,000 people in the United States have a heart attack each year, according to the American Heart Association.

Recently, Northside Hospital-Forsyth received its certification as an institution committed to safe and effected care of patients who have one.

Northside Hospital Forsyth has earned Disease Specific Certification for Acute Myocardial Infarction care from The Joint Commission.

The certification is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective patient care.

"Time is critical in heart attack care," said Dr. Aman Kakkar, medical director of the Cardiac Cath Lab at Northside Hospital-Forsyth. "From the moment 911 is called, to when first responders arrive, how long it takes to get to the hospital and how long before treatment is administered – every minute matters."

Northside Hospital-Forsyth received its two-year certification after undergoing a voluntary on-site evaluation, demonstrating compliance with nationally developed standards for heart attack care.

Northside Hospital Forsyth offers a wide range of diagnostic, treatment and support services for heart and vascular patients. A team of board-certified cardiologists, cardiac-trained nurses and technologists at Northside has a high level of expertise in diagnosing and treating disorders like heart attacks, coronary artery blockages, congenital heart defects, heart failure and stroke.

The hospital’s cardiology team and emergency department staff work collaboratively with Forsyth County and Central EMS to ensure that patients receive access to care, with some of the fastest transfer times of the 19 hospitals in the Metro Atlanta Region, ahead of the region’s average of 76 minutes.

According to data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Northside Hospital-Forsyth also has the lowest 30-day readmission rates from heart attack of any hospital in Georgia (134 hospitals reporting) and ranks No. 31 in the United States.

In addition to the Disease Specific Certification for AMI, Northside Hospital Forsyth was the first hospital in Metro Atlanta to receive Advanced Certification in Heart Failure from The Joint Commission and has been re-certified as an Advanced Primary Stroke Center.

"These recognitions give us with the opportunity to highlight the compassionate and exceptional heart and vascular care we provide our patients," said Patricia Tyson, director of the Northside Hospital Heart and Vascular Institute. "I couldn’t be more proud of our team of physicians, nurses and staff, who continually strive to advance our care even further each and every day."

Image courtesy Northside Hospital