Clinics in Virginia and Missouri recognized for efforts to prevent first heart attacks

 

HOUSTON, October 4, 2010 – SHAPE, The Society for Heart Attack Prevention and Eradication
(http://shapesociety.org) a nonprofit organization that promotes the early detection and treatment of heart attack risk in apparently healthy people, today announced three clinics have achieved certification as SHAPE/HeartHealth Centers of Excellence. The newly certified clinics are Bon Secours Reynolds Crossing Imaging Center in Richmond, Va., Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in Midlothian, Va., and St. John’s Heart Institute in Springfield, Mo.

 

The SHAPE/Heart Health Centers of Excellence initiative encourages best practices in heart attack screening. To be considered for SHAPE/HeartHealth Centers of Excellence certification, a clinic must be committed to improving patient outcomes through early detection and primary prevention of coronary artery disease (CAD). Unlike traditional cardiovascular clinics that are primarily focused on preventing a second heart attack, SHAPE/HeartHealth Centers of Excellence focus on the prevention of a first heart attack — especially in the vulnerable population, those at risk of a near future heart attack

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“We congratulate these clinics on helping to advance preventive cardiology through the responsible practice of cardiovascular screening,” said JoAnne Zawitoski, chairwoman of the SHAPE Board of Directors. “Through these SHAPE/HeartHealth Centers of Excellence we are making progress toward preventing and, ultimately, eradicating heart attacks, but we have a very long way to go.”

 

SHAPE/HeartHealth Centers of Excellence adhere to the First SHAPE Guideline for screening to identify hidden CAD in apparently healthy individuals. The First SHAPE Guideline established standards for the careful and responsible implementation of scientifically proven atherosclerosis tests to detect hidden plaque buildup in coronary and carotid arteries, and recommended the tests be incorporated into routine screening for at risk men and women as they age.

 

In addition to the newly certified clinics, other SHAPE/HeartHealth Centers of Excellence are located in Arizona, Florida and Pennsylvania.

 

The SHAPE/HeartHealth Centers of Excellence Program coincides with SHAPE Provider Certification. For more information about these certification programs for your practice or hospital, please contact Dr. Jeff Fine at (803) 360-4756 or jfine@jandjmedical.net

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