Grady Earns Level I Emergency Cardiac Care Center Designation

ATLANTA , Aug. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Grady Health System has been named a Level I Emergency Cardiac Care Center (ECCC) by the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH). This designation is Georgia's highest level of emergency cardiac care and recognizes Grady's commitment to excellence.

"We are honored to receive this distinct recognition from the Georgia Department of Public Health," said Annie Cheek, Vice President of Heart and Vascular Services at Grady. "Our designation as a Level I Emergency Cardiac Care Center is a true testament to the collaboration among our heart and vascular team and highlights Grady's ongoing commitment to providing high-quality cardiac care to help improve patient outcomes."

Georgia DPH conducts a thorough evaluation process for all healthcare organizations seeking ECCC accreditation, which includes a site inspection and an assessment of emergency cardiac care procedures and equipment. The Level I designation means a hospital can perform open heart surgery and interventional cardiac catheterizations.

In 2017, legislation was signed into Georgia law to establish the Office of Cardiac Care at the Georgia DPH. Its mission is to improve survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests and heart attacks through quality improvement, benchmarking, and evidence-based guidelines. A three-level designation system was implemented to help identify a hospital's capability of providing emergency cardiac care services.

In a letter sent to Grady, Georgia DPH Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey applauded the health system for its contributions to the health and well-being of Georgians. "We believe that improving emergency cardiac care throughout Georgia can best be achieved by adopting a 'systems approach' to care," said Toomey. "As a Georgia designated Emergency Cardiac Care Center, you have become an integral part of a growing emergency cardiac care system throughout the state."

To learn more about Grady's Heart and Vascular Center, visit https://www.gradyhealth.org/care-treatment/heart-vascular-center/.

Grady Health System is one of the largest safety net health systems in the United States. Grady consists of the 953-bed Grady Memorial Hospital, six neighborhood health centers, Crestview Health & Rehabilitation Center, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding, which is operated as a Children's affiliate. With its nationally acclaimed emergency medical services, Grady has the premier Level I trauma center in the Metro Atlanta region and serves as the 911 ambulance provider for the city of Atlanta. Grady's American Burn Association/American College of Surgeons verified Burn Center is one of only two in the state. And the Marcus Stroke and Neuroscience Center is a Joint Commission designated Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center. Other key services/distinctions include Grady's Regional Perinatal Center with its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Georgia's first Cancer Center for Excellence, The Avon Comprehensive Breast Center, the Georgia Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, and the Ponce de Leon Center - one of the top HIV/AIDS outpatient clinics in the country. Grady is one of an elite group of hospitals to earn the Baby-Friendly USA international recognition as a Baby-Friendly Designated birth facility. For more information visit http://www.gradyhealth.org/.

SOURCE Grady Health System