Saint Joseph Medical Center emergency department chest pain center

Saint Joseph Medical Center has had two years experience with operating a chest pain center (CPC) in its emergency department. The CPC has resulted in improved treatment for patients with myocardial infarction. The CPC has led to the utilization of primary angioplasty as a preferred strategy for acute myocardial infarction. The CPC has allowed rapid rule-out of acute coronary syndromes in the emergency department thereby avoiding hospital admission in 31% of patients with chest pain of possible cardiac origin.