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newsletterfor forOrange OrangeRegional RegionalMedical MedicalCenter Centeremployees, employees, physicians and volunteers AAnewsletter physicians and volunteers
March 2015
From The President & CEO
Scott Batulis President & CEO
Treatment for heart attack, stroke and sepsis are three of the most critical life-saving things we do here at Orange Regional. Treatment of these conditions originates in our Emergency Department (ED) the majority of the time. Our success has had a major impact on patients we’ve saved, further solidifying our tremendous value to the community.
In 2014, we exceeded national guidelines requiring the treatment of heart attack patients with angioplasty in 90 minutes or less. For heart attack patients in need of angioplasty, every second counts. Angioplasty is a cardiac procedure where a catheter with a small balloon at the tip is inserted and inflated to open a blocked artery. The total time from when a patient arrives until the artery is reopened is called “door to balloon” time. The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association have developed national hospital guidelines calling for door to balloon time in less than 90 minutes. In 2014, Orange Regional met this requirement 100 percent of the time. Our average door to balloon time was 65.7 minutes with our shortest time of 28 minutes. This is a remarkable accomplishment and I congratulate everyone who made this achievement possible. As a designated Stroke Center, we are continually enhancing and excelling in our treatment of stroke. A stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel or artery, or when a blood vessel breaks, interrupting blood flow to an area of the brain. When this occurs, it kills brain cells in the immediate
area that usually die within minutes to a few hours after the stroke starts. Treatment within 3 hours or less is necessary to minimize damage done to the brain. To further advance our quick delivery of stroke care, our stroke care team now calls a Pre-Hospital Code Neuro when notified by EMS in route with a potential stroke patient. A Pre-Hospital Code Neuro is a well-established and highly integrated procedure that links the hospital with local first responders for fast, seamless action, diagnosis and treatment. From ED to surgery or other neurovascular treatments our rapid treatment of a patient experiencing a stroke has become faster and more effective. I’m proud to say that our ED ranks among the top hospitals in New York State for ED sepsis care performance. Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening complication of an infection. Sepsis occurs when chemicals released into the bloodstream to fight an infection trigger inflammatory responses throughout the body. This inflammation can trigger a cascade of changes that can damage multiple organ systems, causing them to fail. The quick diagnosis and treatment of sepsis is critical in minimizing organ failure and death. I applaud and thank our team of experts who continually work to enhance our services and go above and beyond to deliver lifesaving care to our patients. Sincerely,
Scott Batulis, President & CEO
Exceeding National Standards for Emergency Cardiac Care From L to R: ED Nurse Director, Robin Brennan Seibel; ED Medical Director, Dr. Anuj Vohra; President & CEO, Scott Batulis; Interventional Cardiologist, Dr. Gary Silverman; Cardiac Cath Lab Director, Patricia Soriano; GHVHS Board Chairman, Rolland Peacock, III and Interventional Cardiologist, Dr. William Gotsis.
On March 5, an appreciation celebration was held to recognize and honor the Emergency Department and the Cardiac Catheterization Lab for their dedication, commitment, and pursuit of excellence for ‘Door to Balloon Time in 90 Minutes,’ fulfilling this standard 100% of the time in 2014. On hand were President & CEO, Scott Batulis and GHVHS Board Chairman, Rolland Peacock, III to present awards to each department and offer their thanks, gratitude and appreciation for outstanding performance. To see more photos of the event visit ormc.org/MediaGallery and click on Employee Family Album or visit ORMC on Facebook!