Loma Linda University Medical Center–Murrieta has received accreditation from the County of Riverside Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency as a designated STEMI receiving center—the first and only hospital in the Murrieta area with a designation of this kind.
This designation brings lifesaving care to those in Murrieta and the surrounding communities who suffer from STEMI (ST elevated myocardial infarctions)—the most deadly form of heart attack. The designation became effective August 20 after a successful survey with EMS officials August 15.
“Obtaining accreditation as a STEMI receiving center is a vital step for our growth as a cardiac provider,” said LLUMC-Murrieta CEO Rick Rawson, MBA. “It is absolutely lifesaving for those who need this care. When a person experiences a STEMI, it is essential for the patient to receive immediate interventions. Individuals in the area have had to endure long transports to appropriate facilities for their care, but now they have what they need closer to home.”
Health care data show that approximately 20 to 30 patients per month suffering from a STEMI in the Murrieta area have had to be transported out of town—more than 30 miles away—for appropriate, interventional care. Now, with this accreditation, those patients will be brought to LLUMC-Murrieta.
Matt Shobert, fire chief, Murrieta Fire Department, said of the new accreditation, “Simply stated, this means more lives saved in the Murrieta Valley. We congratulate Loma Linda University Medical Center–Murrieta for this important milestone and are delighted to have been working with them. We look forward to an ongoing partnership with the hospital to continue saving lives in our community.”
“This accreditation is an important step in our ability to care for the members of our community,” said Sanjay Bhojraj, medical director, LLU International Heart Institute, “and will allow us to work closely with our first responders in the critical emergency of STEMI.”
In April 2012, LLUMC-Murrieta become a licensed provider of interventional cardiology, and to date, more than 120 open heart procedures have been performed at the hospital and more than 70 patients suffering from heart attacks have been cared for.
A STEMI results from the partial interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart muscle, damaging heart cells. The resulting oxygen shortage can cause the heart muscle to die. Patients experiencing a STEMI are at risk for developing sudden cardiac arrest and need to be transported immediately to a facility that can provide interventional care, stents, angioplasty, or even open heart surgery.