St. David’s HealthCare Transforms Capitol Rotunda Into Highly-Interactive Cardiac Educational Event
AUSTIN, Texas - On February 24, 2011, St. David's HealthCare hosted an interavtive cardiac educational exhibit in the Capitol Rotunda in recognition o American Heart Month.
“As the largest provider of heart and vascular services in the region, St. David’s HealthCare is committed to fighting cardiovascular disease—our nation’s number one killer,” said Mark Clayton, senior vice president of St. David’s HealthCare. “We know that education is the first and most important step in that fight.”
St. David’s HealthCare collaborated with other community organizations in hosting the day of education sessions, screenings and hands-on activities. Participants included St. David’s HealthCare’s Fit 4 Life program, a health and wellness initiative designed to promote nutrition, physical activity and lifestyle changes; Heart Hospital of Austin, which was acquired by St. David’s HealthCare late last year; the American Heart Association, and Austin/Travis County EMS.
St. David’s HealthCare’s Fit 4 Life program provided glucose and BMI screenings. According to the American Heart Association, people with BMIs of 25 or more are at higher risk of heart and blood vessel disease.
Heart Hospital of Austin displayed technology used to treat patients with heart disease and hosted a series of educational sessions, including teaching adult learners how to use an Automated External Defibrillator, or AED. Fifth-grade students dressed in surgical attire learned about the field of thoracic surgery through a hands-on heart-suturing exercise with a surgeon. Students also had the opportunity to learn about the tools and techniques cardiologists use to improve heart health through an educational session called, “Cardiology 101.”
“It is important to reach children early, so they learn about the negative effects an unhealthy lifestyle has on their hearts before any damage occurs,” said Frank Zidar, M.D., an interventional cardiologist at Heart Hospital of Austin. “We know that eating properly, exercising and eliminating risk factors, such as smoking, can decrease a person’s chance of developing heart disease significantly.”
The American Heart Association used jump ropes to illustrate the most effective ways to increase a person’s heart rate. Austin/Travis County EMS highlighted the importance of CPR and the role first responders play in the survival and recovery of cardiac patients.
- 30 -
St. David’s HealthCare
With more than 60 sites across Central Texas, St. David’s HealthCare includes seven of the area’s leading hospitals and is one of the largest health systems in Texas. Known for compassionate, high-quality care, the organization has been recognized with the Texas Award for Performance Excellence, the highest honor bestowed by the State of Texas based upon world-class quality measures. Ranked as one of the Top Workplaces in 2010 by the Austin American-Statesman—as well as the top Austin-area employer among large companies at the Austin Business Journal’s annual “Best Places to Work” event in 2007, 2008 and 2009—St. David’s HealthCare is the fifth-largest private employer in the Austin area, with more than 7,100 employees. For more information, please visit StDavids.com.
Heart Hospital of Austin
The uniquely designed 58-bed hospital offers a full range of cardiac services and includes a 24-hour full-service emergency center. Heart Hospital of Austin, a campus of St. David’s Medical Center, provides comprehensive physician-directed and patient-centered care, resulting in excellent patient outcomes and satisfaction ratings. The hospital is a shared vision of local cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons. Working with hospital leadership, the physicians created an atmosphere of quality, resulting in the leading cardiac program in Texas for six consecutive years as ranked by HealthGrades®. Heart Hospital of Austin is also a five-time recipient of the Thomson Reuter’s 100 Top Hospitals® Cardiovascular Benchmarks Award. In July 2009, a study funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services revealed that Heart Hospital of Austin was the leading hospital in the United States for treatment of a heart attack. In November 2010, Heart Hospital of Austin was acquired by St. David’s HealthCare—one of the largest health systems in Texas.For more information, please visit HeartHospitalofAustin.com.