Enhancing safety in Cardiovascular emergency care to international standards.

Cardiovascular intervention is becoming a key area of focus for hospitals, with increasing investment in advanced technologies and continuous efforts to standardize procedures in line with international standards, with the aim of ensuring maximum safety in the emergency care and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

To enhance the effectiveness of emergency care, hospitals are currently implementing 83 criteria set by the Ministry of Health and standardizing clinical procedures in accordance with international standards.ACHSI is one of the world’s most rigorous healthcare accreditation standards, focusing on strengthening the Code Red system and establishing” Rapid Response Teams” to ensure timely management of emergency situations.

In the field of interventional cardiology, which frequently encounters critical emergencies such as cardiac arrest, heart failure, and myocardial infarction, the standardization of emergency response procedures has become increasingly urgent. At the Cardiology Department of Hong Ngoc General Hospital – the first general hospital in Vietnam to be accredited by ACHSI, emergency response protocols and complication control measures have become more stringent than ever.

Establishing rapid response teams and upgrading emergency care protocols

Establishing rapid response teams and upgrading emergency care protocols. Hong Ngoc General Hospital received patient T.V. Tinh (31 years old, from Hanoi) in a critical condition, presenting with severe pain in the left chest accompanied by a burning sensation in the thoracic area. Recognizing this as a medical emergency, the doctors promptly established an intravenous line, administered emergency medications, and connected the patient to an electrocardiogram monitor. Five minutes later, the patient suddenly developed coarse ventricular fibrillation (a dangerous arrhythmia), accompanied by pulselessness and cardiac arrest, leading to a critical condition.

In such cases, the patient is at risk of death or permanent brain damage within 4 to 6 minutes if not treated promptly. Fortunately, the medical team at Hong Ngoc General Hospital immediately performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation to restore the patient's heart rhythm, strictly adhering to emergency protocols. At the same time, the hospital-wide Code Blue alert was activated, and the Rapid Response Team promptly arrived to coordinate and assist in the resuscitation efforts. After just two defibrillation attempts, the ventricular fibrillation was successfully reversed, the patient’s heart rhythm gradually stabilized, and consciousness was regained within a few minutes.

Mr. Tinh’s case is a prime example of a patient who narrowly escaped a life-threatening situation thanks to rapid, timely, and professional emergency intervention. This represents a clear success in implementing standardized emergency response protocols in accordance with ACHS (Australian Council on Healthcare Standards), particularly through the establishment of a Rapid Response Team to improve emergency care processes and effectively handle critical situations.

The medical team promptly proceeded with revascularization to restore blood flow to the heart muscle for Mr. Tinh.

Immediately after Mr. Tinh’s heartbeat was successfully restored through the activation of Code Blue, the medical team proceeded to activate the Code STEMI protocol (a specialized rapid response pathway for the emergency management of acute myocardial infarction). The patient was quickly transferred to the catheterization lab for coronary angiography to identify the site of blockage and proceed with stent placement to restore blood flow to the heart as quickly as possible, while ensuring maximum safety throughout the procedure.

Within just 60 minutes, the intervention was successfully completed, and blood flow through the coronary artery was fully restored.

Mr. Tinh showed good clinical improvement and was discharged three days after the intervention.

According to Dr. Nguyen Van Hai, MSc – Head of the Interventional Cardiology Center at Hong Ngoc General Hospital, the emergency intervention activation protocol significantly shortened the time from hospital admission to revascularization of the blocked artery, ensuring that the golden window for saving the patient was not missed. The Rapid Response Team is always ready to provide immediate support when patients show signs of cardiogenic shock or life-threatening arrhythmias. Before every interventional procedure, all necessary intensive care equipment such as endotracheal tubes, vasopressors, defibrillators, and antiarrhythmic medications are fully stocked and readily available to manage any situation.

In addition to emergency cases, for elective interventions, the hospital also takes the lead in applying some of the most advanced medical technologies in the world, such as: the 2560-slice CT scanner, non-invasive coronary flow reserve analysis software (vFFR), and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)...helping physicians make more accurate clinical decisions while minimizing the risk of complications.

The first general hospital in Vietnam to achieve ACHSI accreditation with a perfect score under the latest EQuIP7 standards.

By strictly applying the 83 criteria set by the Ministry of Health and over 700 stringent criteria from the ACHS organization, Hong Ngoc General Hospital, particularly its Cardiology Department, is continuously striving to enhance and perfect the patient experience. Recognizing the high-risk nature of cardiovascular treatment and the necessity for rapid response in emergency situations, the Cardiology Department is continuously improving its protocols, closely monitoring, and meticulously reviewing each interventional case. By fully meeting both domestic and international standards, Hong Ngoc General Hospital not only ensures maximum patient safety but also affirms the quality of its treatment. This commitment contributes to the hospital's goal of becoming a leading cardiovascular center in Vietnam.