Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital (PPMH) in Albany and Phoebe Worth Medical Center (PWMC) in Sylvester have earned recognition for their commitment to lifesaving emergency cardiac care.  The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) re-designated PPMH as a Level 1 Emergency Cardiac Care Center (ECCC), and, for the first time, designated PWMC as a Level 3 Emergency Cardiac Care Center. 

“These designations are an indication of cooperation throughout our health system and our commitment to making investments that ensure we provide the best possible care to people throughout southwest Georgia,” said Dianna Grant, MD, Phoebe Putney Health System Chief Medical Officer.

PPMH was the first hospital south of Macon to earn Level 1 ECCC designation, Georgia’s highest level of emergency cardiac care.  To receive Level 1 designation, a hospital must provide comprehensive emergency cardiac care services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.  Those services include cardiac catheterization and angioplasty to treat patients suffering from a heart attack, as well as advanced cardiothoracic surgery capabilities and the ability to perform other surgical procedures, such as implanting automatic cardioverter defibrillators and percutaneous left ventricular assist devices. 

“We have a full team of experts on-call at all times to respond when patients come into our emergency center suffering from a STEMI (ST-segment elevated myocardial infarction), which is the most serious and deadly form of heart attack,” said Mark Cohen, MD, PPMH Medical Director for Heart & Vascular Services.  “Because of technology the Phoebe Foundation paid to install in ambulances throughout the region, we often get word from EMS teams in the field that STEMI patients are on the way to our hospital.  That allows our team to be ready when the patient arrives so we can begin treatment immediately.  Every second counts during a heart attack, and we have the experts and technology in place to give patients the absolute best chance of survival,” Dr. Cohen added.

The Level 3 ECCC designation for Phoebe Worth means the hospital has validated its ability to stabilize a patient until they can be transferred to a Level 1 or Level 2 center 

“We recently expanded and enhanced our emergency center at Phoebe Worth, and we have a board-certified physician leading the care team in our ER at all times.  We work closely with our partners at PPMH, and we are able to provide the immediate lifesaving care to heart attack patients as we work to get them to the trauma center in Albany as quickly as possible,” said Kim Gilman, PWMC President.  “This ECCC designation is a testament to the hard work of our staff and is great news for our community.”

Each hospital’s ECCC designation is valid for three years.  In a letter announcing the designation, DPH Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey wrote, “The Department commends your staff for your continued commitment to excellence in emergency cardiac care being provided at your facility.  Improving the survival rates from heart attacks and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Georgia is exceedingly important and is in keeping with Public Health’s desire to protect and improve the health and lives of individuals throughout our state.” 

Since PPMH earned the initial designation three years ago, Phoebe has continued to enhance its emergency services, having earned designation as a Level 2 Trauma Center in March 2024.  Phoebe’s Emergency & Trauma Center will move into a new facility in January when the hospital’s new Trauma & Critical Care Tower is scheduled to open.