Doctors Hospital ER South and ER Saunders Awarded Acute Heart Attack Ready Certification from The Joint Commission
Doctors Hospital ER South and ER Saunders, each a Service of Doctors Hospital of Laredo, have earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check mark for Acute Heart Attack Ready (AHAR) Certification.
DHL underwent a rigorous, unannounced onsite review on October 5 - 6, 2023. During the visit, a team of Joint Commission reviewers evaluated compliance with related certification standards including the evaluation of the care of the patient presenting to the Freestanding Emergency Departments with a STEMI, a life-threatening emergency in which the patient requires immediate intervention in the cardiac catheterization lab, with a team of seasoned experts, trained with the latest techniques and technology. They were evaluated on the timely and effective care of patients in the Emergency Department, using the latest guidelines provided by the American College of Cardiology, Emergency Cardiovascular Care, and the American Heart Association. Joint Commission standards are developed in consultation with healthcare experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. The reviewers also conducted onsite observations and interviews.
“Acute Heart Attack Ready (AHAR) Certification recognizes healthcare organizations committed to striving for excellence and fostering continuous improvement in patient safety and quality of care,” says Ken Grubbs, DNP, MBA, RN, Executive Vice President of Accreditation and Certification Operations and Chief Nursing Officer, The Joint Commission. “We commend Doctors Hospital of Laredo for using The Joint Commission certification process to reduce variation in clinical processes and to strengthen its clinical program to drive safer, higher quality and more compassionate care for individuals served.”
“We congratulate Doctors Hospital of Laredo for this outstanding achievement,” says Nancy Brown, Chief Executive Officer, the American Heart Association. “This certification reflects its commitment to providing the highest quality of care for cardiac patients.”
“As the medical director of the Emergency Department, I am very proud of our ED staff in playing a vital role in obtaining this huge accomplishment for Doctors Hospital, which is in line with our commitment to providing excellent cardiac care for the people of Laredo," stated Dr. Jalkennen Joseph, Medical Director of the Emergency Department.
“This accreditation represents Doctors Hospital of Laredo’s continuing efforts to provide the best cardiac care for our community," said Dr. Ralph Nimchan, Cardiologist and Chest Pain Program Medical Director. "Our patients suffering with a heart attack can rest assured that they will receive excellent treatment at Doctors Hospital of Laredo.”
“Congratulations to our hospital team including our teams at ER South and ER Saunders,” states Andrew Wison, CEO of Doctors Hospital. “This certification is a testament to our commitment to our heart care program at our freestanding emergency centers. Our goal is to provide patient safety and quality care for cardiac patients, as we continue to develop and expand our heart program. Rosie Tamez, Chest Pain Coordinator, and seasoned ER Nurse, worked tirelessly with our physicians and our freestanding ER Centers (ER South and ER Saunders) to assure that Doctors Hospital of Laredo had the processes in place to achieve this certification ahead of the survey. We thank all our team members for this prestigious achievement.”