Emergency care
National quality standards set by the American College of Cardiology recommend that a cardiac emergency patient receive necessary interventional treatment within 90 minutes of arriving in the emergency department. At Thomas Hospital, the average time is 60 minutes.
The emergency department includes four dedicated cardiac rooms, where patients with chest pain are closely monitored. The hospital also participates in an in-the-field, electrocardiogram (EKG) program. Local ambulances are equipped with EKG machines that wirelessly transmit test results to the emergency department from the field, allowing time to prepare for a cardiac patient and expedite the treatment process.