Williamson Health is proud to announce that Williamson Medical Center has earned the prestigious The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check mark for Primary Heart Attack Center Certification. This designation reflects the hospital’s commitment to excellence in cardiac care and is the hospital’s first “Advanced Certification” from The Joint Commission.

An independent, nonprofit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in healthcare. The organization seeks to continuously improve healthcare for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating healthcare organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value.

This esteemed recognition follows a rigorous onsite review by The Joint Commission and underscores Williamson Health’s unwavering dedication to providing the highest quality of care to patients experiencing heart attacks. As a Primary Heart Attack Center, Williamson Medical Center has demonstrated adherence to certification standards and protocols established by The Joint Commission and American Heart Association, ensuring rapid and effective treatment for heart attack patients. The Joint Commission standards are developed in consultation with healthcare experts and providers, measurement experts and patients.

“We are honored to receive The Joint Commission Primary Heart Attack Center designation,” said Phil Mazzuca, Williamson Health Chief Executive Officer. “This achievement reflects our ongoing commitment to providing the highest standard of care for individuals experiencing chest pain. Our dedicated team has worked tirelessly to meet the stringent requirements set forth by The Joint Commission, and we are proud to be recognized for our efforts.”

Achieving this designation is a testament to the diligent work of Williamson Health’s multi-disciplinary approach of intentionally bringing together team members from many different departments to work collaboratively at providing the best possible care. For example, the Williamson Health Chest Pain Committee includes cardiologists, hospitalists, other specialists, nurses, emergency medical services (EMS) staff and support personnel from intensive care, cardiology and the emergency department (ED) along with staff members from many other departments. Through their collective expertise and collaboration, Williamson Medical Center earned this Primary Heart Attack Center Certification which positions it as a leader in cardiac care.

“The protocols associated with this designation integrate the complexity of cardiac care and best practices to standardize the best possible care for every patient which ultimately leads to improved clinical outcomes,” said Amit Keswani, M.D., and director of the Williamson Health Chest Pain Center. “We’ve known how exceptional the cardiac services are at Williamson Medical Center, and now the data proves it. This designation offers our community the confidence that they can get high quality chest pain care here in Williamson County as opposed to driving to Nashville and is further evidence of the Cardiac Center of Excellence that we are creating here at Williamson Medical Center.”

As a Primary Heart Attack Center, Williamson Medical Center is equipped to rapidly assess, diagnose and treat patients experiencing heart attacks, ensuring timely intervention and optimized outcomes. The designation signifies WMC’s ability to deliver evidence-based care in accordance with the latest guidelines, resulting in improved survival rates and better long-term prognosis for heart attack patients.

“Williamson Medical Center’s Primary Heart Attack Center Certification recognizes healthcare organizations committed to striving for excellence and fostering continuous improvement in patient safety and quality of care,” says Ken Grubbs, DNP, MBA, RN, executive vice president of Accreditation and Certification Operations and chief nursing officer, The Joint Commission. “We commend Williamson Health for using The Joint Commission certification process to reduce variation in clinical processes and to strengthen its clinical program to drive safer, higher quality and more compassionate care for individuals served.”

“We congratulate Williamson Medical Center for this outstanding achievement,” says Nancy Brown, CEO, the American Heart Association. “This certification reflects its commitment to providing the highest quality of care for cardiac patients.”

In addition to providing exceptional care, Williamson Medical Center remains committed to ongoing quality improvement initiatives aimed at further enhancing patient outcomes and experiences. Through ongoing initiatives and innovation, Williamson Medical Center will continue to strengthen its reputation as a trusted destination for cardiac excellence.

Williamson Medical Center’s dedication to quality and standards of excellence has earned the hospital full accreditation by The Joint Commission as well as “Core Certifications” for Joint Replacement in Hip, Joint Replacement in Knee as well as Spine Surgery. For more information about Williamson Medical Center‘s cardiac services visit https://williamsonhealth.org/medical-services/cardiology/ and to learn more about the Joint Commission Primary Heart Attack Center designation please visit The Joint Commission website.

ABOUT WILLIAMSON HEALTH | Williamson Health is a regional healthcare system based in Williamson County, Tennessee, with more than 2,100 employees across more than 30 locations and more than 860 physicians and advanced care practitioners offering exceptional healthcare across 60-plus specialties and subspecialties close to home. The flagship hospital, Williamson Medical Center, now undergoing a historic $200 million expansion and renovation project, offers extensive women’s services, state-of-the-art cardiology services, advanced surgical technologies, an award-winning obstetrics and NICU, leading-edge orthopaedics, outpatient imaging services, and comprehensive emergency and inpatient services for both adult and pediatric patients. Other Williamson Health service providers include the Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee, The Turner-Dugas Breast Health Center, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital Vanderbilt at Williamson Medical Center, Williamson Health physician practices that are strategically located throughout the community, countywide Emergency Medical Services that include 18 rapid response units, Williamson Health Foundation, and multiple joint venture Vanderbilt Health and Williamson Medical Center Walk-In Clinics in Williamson County. Learn more about our many specialized services at www.WilliamsonHealth.org.