Record Speed Heart Attack Care Saves Local Man’s Life

April 23, 2010 – A Rutherford County man is back to good health thanks to record speed heart attack care delivered by Rutherford County EMS, StoneCrest Medical Center and Centennial Medical Center.

Within 58 minutes of entering StoneCrest’s ER doors, William White, age 38, was receiving life-saving balloon angioplasty at Centennial Medical Center in Nashville.
 
White’s case broke TriStar Health System’s previous record of 62 minutes for its “door-to-balloon time”—the time it takes from when a heart attack patient enters the ER to when the blocked artery is opened using balloon angioplasty. The national standard for door-to-balloon times is 90 minutes. The sooner the blocked artery is opened, the better the chances of survival.
 
 “I feel very blessed that everyone was on top of their game,” said White, who is married with four children. “I only had a slight pain on the right side of my chest, so I never suspected a heart attack.” 

White noticed something was wrong when he began to feel lightheaded at work. He visited his employer’s health unit where the nurse called an ambulance after testing his oxygen saturation levels.

“The nurse did a wonderful job of asking the right questions, doing the appropriate test and calling an ambulance,” said Bud Hale, Health and Safety Manager at the Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations plant in LaVergne.
 
While transporting White to the StoneCrest ER, Rutherford County EMS members Chris Farmer and Tiffany White used a 12-lead EKG to detect a suspected heart attack on the way to the hospital. They were able to notify ER workers of White’s condition before they arrived.
 
Clark Archer, M.D., StoneCrest emergency medicine physician, had a room and a chest pain team waiting for White. Dr. Archer quickly confirmed the heart attack and proceeded with cardiac medication therapy to prevent further damage to the heart muscle. The longer the delay in starting these drugs, the more damage that occurs and the less benefit they can provide.
 
Dr. Archer initiated the patient transfer process, activating the advanced cardiac treatment team at Centennial Medical Center. Within 17 minutes, White was on his way to Centennial.
 
Brian Jefferson, M.D., cardiologist interventionalist, performed White’s angioplasty procedure 11 minutes after the ambulance arrived at Centennial.  “We are part of a well-designed team that is fluid in placing patients in the care of the person that can affect their health condition the most,” said Dr. Archer. “All team members must perform at peak to achieve the best patient outcomes.”
 
White is doing well and is grateful for the record-speed heart care that saved his life. To learn about door-to-balloon times and the TriStar Health System’s network of accredited chest pain center, call TriStar MedLine at 615-342-1919 or visit TriStarHealth.com.

About StoneCrest Medical Center
StoneCrest Medical Center, part of the TriStar Health System, is an Accredited Chest Pain and Accredited Cancer Center that offers a full array of acute care services including emergency care, general surgery, cardiology, obstetrics, intensive care, physical medicine, outpatient diagnostic services, and cancer care. Situated on 43 acres at the intersection of Interstate 24 and Sam Ridley Parkway, StoneCrest Medical Center offers 101 total beds. Additionally, the 160,000 square foot physician's building is adjacent to the medical center, providing convenient access from physician offices to the hospital.