Cardiologists Prefer a Full Service Facility
Nearly
70% of cardiac patients have additional health problems that
require a full-service hospital to meet all their medical needs.
In addition, some patients presenting to a hospital with cardiac-type
symptoms may really be suffering from some other disorder such as
a pulmonary or gastrointestinal problem rather than a heart attack.
For these reasons, it's important to choose a full service hospital such as one of our Baptist Health Medical Centers to be assured of receiving not only the best in cardiac care but also quick access to some of Arkansas' best specialists for any other health problems you may have. Choosing a Baptist Health facility first will ensure prompt care and reduce the inconvenience and delay involved in a transfer from a specialty hospital to a full service facility should you have a complication.
Some reasons given by cardiologists for preferring a full-service facility include:
"From
my viewpoint, the typical heart patient is older and suffers from
other medical problems," Dr. Gary Collins, observes. "It is not
unusual for this patient to have carotid disease, peripheral vascular
disease, diabetes and multiple other disease processes. Many times
neither the patient nor the physician is aware of the extent of
the problems until he or she is in the hospital being diagnosed
and treated for the heart ailment. I believe the proper approach
to medical care requires the coordination of multiple disciplines
of medicine, nursing care and technology available only in full
service hospitals."
"I
personally prefer to practice in a full service general hospital
which is locally owned. I want physicians in other specialties to
be quickly available for my patients as needed, and I constantly
learn from working closely with doctors from all specialties," Dr.
Randal Hundley states. "It is easy to become so focused on one particular
body system that we lose sight of the big picture. When a person
comes into a hospital, we don't always know what we will find. Even
when someone comes for a simple procedure, there can be complications
demanding prompt attention from a doctor not of the particular specialty.
Baptist Health Medical Centers are proud to employ some of the most experienced nursing and technical staff in Arkansas. These outstanding health professionals partner with our excellent physicians from all specialties to provide compassionate service to our patients throughout the continuum of care.
Multiple Locations
Click on any of these links to learn more about Heart Services at each hospital: