March 12, 2010

Southern Regional Medical Center Foundation Receives $203,465 Donation

Southern Crescent Hospital for Specialty Care donation to provide wireless systems to benefit local EMS, patients with chest pain, heart attack or stroke symptoms

Southern Regional Health System today received a $203,465 donation from the Southern Crescent Hospital for Specialty Care, at a check presentation ceremony.  The donation, secured by the Southern Regional Medical Center Foundation, will fund wireless systems to seven EMS programs in the Southern Crescent that assist in the rapid transport of patients with chest pain, heart attack or stroke symptoms.

 "On behalf of Southern Crescent Hospital for Specialty Care, it is an honor to be able to provide this life-saving device for the citizens in the Southern Crescent," said Jan Hamilton-Crawford, Administrator of Southern Crescent Hospital for Specialty Care.  "There was an obvious need for this type of wireless technology, and thankfully, all parties involved recognized this need and worked together to ensure that our Southern Crescent citizens receive the quickest access to care possible."

The equipment purchased will be distributed to the following EMS programs: Clayton County EMS, Henry County EMS, Fayette County EMS, City of Morrow EMS, Peachtree City EMS, City of Forest Park EMS, and Rural Metro EMS.

"Time is muscle and it is essential that a patient is assessed quickly in the event of a potential heart attack or stroke," said Jay Connelly, Director of the Emergency Department at Southern Regional.  "These wireless systems dispense quick, reliable transmissions of a patient's symptoms, including images, which in turn can permit patients to bypass the Emergency Department and go directly to the Cath Lab or even surgery if necessary.  This technology can save up to 30 minutes of assessment time for a patient in critical condition."

The new wireless systems will augment Southern Regional's current cardiac care capabilities.  Southern Regional is already an accredited Chest Pain Center with PCI and on Feb. 22, Southern Regional applied to the state for permission to bring open heart surgery to the Southern Crescent.  For more information or to show your support for bringing open heart services to Southern Regional, visit http://openheart.southernregional.org/.

About Southern Crescent Hospital for Specialty Care - The Southern Crescent Hospital for Specialty Care is located within the host facility, Southern Regional Medical Center.  Southern Crescent Hospital opened in December 2003. It has a total of 30 long-term acute care beds to provide care to medically complex patients. These patients require extended acute care hospitalization with specialty programs focusing on ventilator dependency, wound care, and rehabilitation. Services provided by Southern Crescent Hospital include, but are not limited to, the following: 24-hour nursing care, acute and post-ICU medical care, ventilator care and weaning with 24-hour respiratory care, wound care, comprehensive inpatient physical, occupational, and speech rehabilitation, cardiac monitoring, IV therapy, blood transfusions, dialysis, therapeutic nutritional support, pain management, case management, social work services, patient and family education.