Thursday, April 28, 2016
Barbara Charles Awarded Early Heart Attack Care Person of the Year
Barbara Charles, the Cardiology Service Line Director and Chest Pain Center Coordinator at San Juan Regional Medical Center, has received a national honor for excellence in Early Heart Attack Care education. Charles is the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care’s 2015 Early Heart Attack Care Person of the Year, an honor bestowed upon just two recipients selected from a pool that included nominees from all over the country.
“I am completely honored,” Charles said. “I bring a lot of passion to sharing the message of Early Heart Attack Care with the community but I couldn’t do it without the amazing team at San Juan Regional Medical Center.”
The Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC) is an international organization committed to leading the fight to eliminate heart disease as the number one cause of death worldwide. The SCPC created the Deputy Heart Attack Program as a way of getting the word out about Early Heart Attack Care. This program saves lives by sharing the message that approximately 50 percent of heart attacks have early signs and symptoms, and that early treatment can prevent a full-blown heart attack or long-term heart damage.
Charles’ tireless work for the Deputy Heart Attack Program can be seen around the Four Corners with the Mr. Juan Hart ads detailing the early symptoms of a heart attack. “The majority of heart attacks occur in the community,” Wil Mick, SCPC CEO said. “In order to save lives, we must get the message beyond the doors of a hospital.” Community members can read more about Early Heart Attack Care and take an oath to learn and share the signs and symptoms online at
sanjuanregional.com/heartsmatter.
Under Charles’ leadership, San Juan Regional Medical Center recently became an accredited Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI (Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.) There are only four hospitals in New Mexico with this accreditation, which shows they have achieved a higher level of expertise caring for patients who come in with a complaint of chest pain or are experiencing symptoms of a heart attack.
Charles will be presented with her award at the SCPC’s 19th Congress in Miami, Florida on Thursday, May 26, 2016.