Know The Warning Signs Of A Heart Attack
It’s estimated that 85% of muscle damage takes place within the first two hours of a heart attack. While some heart attacks are sudden and intense, most start slowly with just mild pain or discomfort. If you or someone else is experiencing any of the below signs of a heart attack, please call 9-1-1 immediately:
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Arm tingling or pain
- Clamminess
- Shortness of breath
- Jaw pain
- Nausea and vomiting
What To Expect
Paramedics notify our Chest Pain Center team when a heart attack patient is on the way. Upon arrival, we will do a rapid assessment, including heart monitoring and a blood test to measure heart muscle damage. We may also do an electrocardiogram, if not already done by the paramedic on the way to the hospital.
If confirmed to be a heart attack, our Chest Pain Center team will perform percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), also known as angioplasty, to open the vessels quickly as quickly as possible and restore blood flow to the heart.
We strive to ensure that our "door-to-balloon" time (from arrival to vessel-opening) averages 60 minutes or less—well below the 90-minute benchmark recommended by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association.
Your Heart Is In Good Hands With Us
Both our Concord and Walnut Creek medical centers have received Chest Pain Center Accreditation, from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC), an international nonprofit focused on improving care for cardiac patients. Additionally, both medical centers have been designated as STEMI Receiving Centers for high-risk heart attack patients by Contra Costa County Emergency Medical Services.
The STEMI team is activated when the hospital is notified by Emergency Medical Services providers that a heart attack patient is en route to the hospital. Once the patient arrives, rapid assessment, diagnosis and, when indicated, immediate coronary intervention is provided. Our objective is to ensure that our doorto-balloon times average 60 minutes or less in accordance with guidelines set by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association.
Our Locations
Emergency Room at Concord Medical Center
Emergency Room at Walnut Creek Medical Center
View Arlene Skuba's story on surviving a heart attack
Awards & Recognition
We are dedicated to improving the health of the communities we serve with quality and compassion. This is demonstrated by our consistently high patient satisfaction ratings, and in the awards and accolades received from highly respected healthcare and accreditation organizations.
2019 Check Pain-MI Registry
John Muir Health has demonstrated sustained achievement in Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry™ for eight consecutive quarters and met high performance standards for specific performance measures to receive this 2019 award.
2019 Get with the Guidelines - Heart Failure
Walnut Creek Medical Center has earned the 2019 Get With The Guidelines® - Heart Failure Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award.
Hospitals receiving Get With The Guidelines® Gold Plus Achievement Award have reached an aggressive goal of treating patients with 85 percent or higher compliance to core standard levels of care as outlined by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association® for 2 consecutive calendar years. In addition, those hospitals have demonstrated 75 percent compliance to (four out of ten heart failure quality measures or seven out of ten stroke quality measures) during the 12-month period.
2019 Get with the Guidelines - Stroke
Walnut Creek and Concord Medical Centers have earned the 2019 Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award and also qualified for recognition on the Target: Stroke Elite Plus Honor Roll.
Hospitals receiving Get With The Guidelines® Gold Plus Achievement Award have reached an aggressive goal of treating patients with 85 percent or higher compliance to core standard levels of care as outlined by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association® for 2 consecutive calendar years. In addition, those hospitals have demonstrated 75 percent compliance to (four out of ten heart failure quality measures or seven out of ten stroke quality measures) during the 12-month period.
Hospitals achieving Time to Intravenous Thrombolytic Therapy ≤ 60 minutes in 75 percent or more of applicable acute ischemic stroke patients treated with IV tPA AND door-to-needle time. Time to Intravenous Thrombolytic Therapy within 45 minutes in 50 percent of applicable acute ischemic stroke patients treated with IV tPA to improve quality of patient care and outcomes.
California Report on Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery
“Better” than the State Average in CABG Mortality Outcomes – The California Report on Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery 2015-2016 Hospital and Surgeon Data
2019 U.S. News & World Report
For the third straight year, Concord Medical Center was one of only 57 hospitals nationwide (approximately 1%) to receive a high-performing rating in the following adult procedures and conditions -- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair, Aortic Valve Surgery, Heart Bypass Surgery and Heart Failure.
2019 Healthgrades Quality Recognition
Concord Medical Center received a 2019 Quality Recognition from Healthgrades, ranking among America's Top 50 Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery. This represents the top 1% of hospitals in the United States. Healthgrades America’s Best Hospitals™ is based solely on clinical quality outcomes for 32 conditions and procedures. This premier distinction rewards hospitals that consistently exhibit exceptional, comprehensive quality care.
2018 U.S. News & World Report Top Hospital
Since 2010, our hospitals have been included the annual list of America’s Best Hospitals, as well as rated as high-performing in Cardiology & Heart Surgery.
2018 Action Registry
Concord Medical Center has demonstrated sustained achievement in ACTION Registry® for eight consecutive quarters and met high performance standards for specific heart attack performance measures to receive this 2018 award.
2018 Becker's Hospital Review
Becker's Healthcare, a leading source of news and information for health care leaders, recently named Concord Medical Center in their 2018 list of the "100 hospitals and health systems with great heart programs.” Concord Medical Center was one of only seven hospitals to receive this honor in Northern California and one of only three community hospitals to be recognized.
Blue Distinction Center Designation
Concord Medical Center is recognized as Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care.