Heart Disease and Women program certification is first –and only—in the nation
Mercy Medical Center is proud to be the first – and only – hospital in the nation certified by The Joint Commission for its Heart Disease and Women program.
Nearly twice as many U.S. women die of heart disease, stroke or other cardiovascular diseases as from all forms of cancer, including breast cancer, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). But frequently, women are overlooked as potential heart attack victims due to outdated misconceptions. The mission of Mercy’s Heart Disease and Women Program is to replace these outdated misconceptions with new, accurate information.
“This is a powerful commitment,” says Sue Dawson, Clinical Outcomes & Research Nurse at Mercy. “If a younger, thin, non-smoking woman comes to the emergency room with heart-attack symptoms, she has been treated differently than her male counterpart. One of our missions was to change that kind of disparity.”
Dawson and her research team at Mercy have been working on this initiative for a long time, constantly providing local physicians and other health care providers with the latest heart health research and risk-assessment tools.
“This is something that seems so simple -- but no hospital in the U.S. pursued it like we did from the standpoint of making sure heart disease is recognized in women as quickly as men,” says Dawson .
“We have a lot of young women that come into our ED and they’re getting good timely appropriate care all the time – just like men,” says Dr. Mark Pospisil, Medical Director for Mercy’s Emergency Department.
Mercy has made a commitment to the community to treat all ages of men and women the same in all aspects of heart care, including prevention, education, early identification and treatment during a hospital stay. Information is tracked and submitted to The Joint Commission to earn and maintain certification.
Mercy’s cardiac team, including all ED physicians, operates on the same evidence-based protocols with the same explicitly-stated goals. A hard-wired system prevents gender disparities through data analysis.
Mercy Medical Center offers heart disease information, education, screening and treatment for people of all ages. Mercy also offers the Heart to Heart program through the Women’s Center to help women and men identify their risk factors and fight this “silent epidemic.”
Event Details
What: A celebration of Mercy’s first in the nation program certification from the Joint Commission for Heart Disease & Women
When: Thursday, April 1, 1 to 3 p.m.
Where: Lundy Pavilion at Mercy Medical Center , 701 10th St. SE , Cedar Rapids
Who: Mercy employees and physicians are invited to a short program to celebrate this national distinction.
Annual Report