Athens, Ga. (September 19, 2024) – Piedmont Athens Regional is now a designated Level 1 Emergency Cardiac Care Center (ECCC), an integral part of a growing emergency cardiac care system throughout Georgia, and the only Level 1 center in Region 10. The designation is awarded by the Georgia Department of Public Health. It indicates Piedmont Athens Regional’s commitment to high-quality care and its contributions to the health and well-being of all Georgians.

Providers seeking ECCC designation must undergo a comprehensive evaluation process that includes an assessment of the organization’s emergency cardiac care program and an onsite visit to view equipment and observe processes. Based on the services provided, organizations may qualify for one of three levels of designation:

• Level 1: The hospital offers open heart surgery and performs interventional cardiac catheterizations.
• Level 2: The hospital performs interventional cardiac catheterizations but must transfer patients for more invasive procedures.
• Level 3: The hospital stabilizes and treats patients until they are transferred to a higher level of care at a Level 1 or 2 facility.

Cardiac care and interventions should be provided as quickly as possible during emergencies such as heart attack or sudden cardiac arrest. Treatment often begins before the patient ever arrives at the hospital, with standers-by or EMS beginning CPR or using an automated external defibrillator (AED) to restore cardiac rhythms. Once the patient is on their way to the hospital, EMS calls ahead with vital information, letting hospital staff know the patient’s status before they arrive, thus ensuring they are prepared to start treatment as soon as the patient arrives.

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health Office of Cardiac Care, cardiovascular disease contributes to or is responsible for over 800,000 deaths each year in the U.S. The Emergency Cardiac Care Center system aims to improve that number by improving community health education and reducing the number of out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests.