Memorial Health University Medical Center (MHUMC) has been designated a Level I Emergency Cardiac Care Center (ECCC) by the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH).
MHUMC is the first hospital in southeast Georgia to earn this distinction. The distinction recognizes our state’s highest level of emergency cardiac care.
The Level I ECCC designation was awarded on Sept. 26.
“I am so proud of our cardiovascular team for earning Georgia’s highest designation for emergency heart care,” said Dr. Chad Stouffer, MD, FACS, FACC, medical director for MHUMC’s Heart & Vascular Institute.
“Memorial Health has been a leader in cardiac care for more than 55 years and this designation demonstrates our commitment to providing safe, high-quality heart care for our patients in Savannah and southeast Georgia.”
Each year, more than 800,00 Americans die from cardiovascular disease. To help reduce cardiac-related deaths in our state, legislation was signed in 2017 to create the Georgia DPH Office of Cardiac Care. The mission of this office is to improve survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests and heart attacks. The office achieves this through quality improvement, benchmarking and evidence-based guidelines.
The Office of Cardiac Care is responsible for assigning designated levels to Emergency Cardiac Care Centers for hospitals complying with Emergency Cardiac Care Center criteria. There are three levels - Level I, II, III.
In order to earn ECCC designation, hospitals participate in a rigorous evaluation process. This includes an on-site inspection and thorough assessment of emergency cardiac care processes and equipment.
Level 1 designation means the hospital provides the highest level and most comprehensive emergency cardiac care services around the clock. These services include open heart surgery, interventional cardiac catheterizations and other cardiac procedures.
“When patients in southeast Georgia need fast emergency care, we want them to know that our team stands ready to provide the highest level of care,” said Shayne George, Memorial Health CEO.
“We have the region’s only Level 1 trauma center, Comprehensive Stroke Center, Level III neonatal intensive care and now the only Level 1 Emergency Cardiac Care Center. Our dedicated team of physicians, nurses, and other clinicals are available 24/7 to provide excellent healthcare for our patients.”
About Memorial Health
Memorial Health has provided quality healthcare services since 1955, giving patients access to highly trained physicians and advanced technology. Our 655-bed hospital is one of the region’s leading acute care facilities. The hospital serves 35 counties in southeast Georgia and southern South Carolina.
Memorial Health is located in Savannah, Georgia. We are a regional referral center for heart care, cancer care, trauma care, children’s care, high-risk pregnancies and high-risk newborn care. Our hospital includes the region's only Level 1 trauma center, the Memorial Health Dwaine & Cynthia Willett Children’s Hospital of Savannah, a primary and specialty care physician network and Consult-A-Nurse®, our 24-hour call center. We also have a major medical education program that trains physicians in numerous specialties. Our campus is also home to the Savannah Campus of Mercer University School of Medicine.
To find out more about Memorial Health, click here.
