| January 7, 2009: Mercy Medical Center of Canton, Ohio is the first hospital in Ohio and the second in the nation to be named an accredited Heart Failure InstituteSM by The Healthcare Accreditation Colloquium. The Healthcare Accreditation Colloquium brings quality and process improvement to the care of heart failure patients in the community and hospitals by using improvement-based continuous accreditation encompassing the entire continuum of care. Accreditation procedure is modeled after well-established process improvement methods, which includes an analysis of current practices, comprehensive report, in-depth interviews, and on-site review. Accreditation indicates that the hospital is proficient in managing the disease, placing emphasis on both quantity and quality of life. According to Tony Joseph, M.D., and CEO of The Healthcare Accreditation Colloquium, heart failure is a growing health problem in the U.S. with 550,000 new cases diagnosed each year. "Half of these individuals will die within five years," said Dr. Joseph. "Mercy Medical Center recognizes that heart failure is a chronic disease, and is to be applauded for its innovative programs that deal with this issue." Ahmed Sabe, M.D., medical director of the Mercy Heart Center, believes that raising the awareness of physicians, nurses, and the community about the proper care of heart failure is an important goal. Close monitoring of symptoms and adjusting treatment accordingly helps patients avoid return trips to the hospital and ensures quality outpatient care. "This accreditation means Mercy is on the forefront of heart failure care and actively contributing to the formation of best practices for this serious, long-term condition," said Dr. Sabe. "In keeping with the Colloquium's Ideal Heart Failure Institute ModelSM, we strive to understand the disease process from the patient's point of view and implement patient-focused programs that improve quality and length of life." Mercy Heart Center has been recognized as one of America's 50 top heart centers by U.S. News & World Report and opened the nation's first accredited emergency chest pain center, among many other notable achievements. For more information on Mercy Medical Center, visit http://www.cantonmercy.com/. |