75th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2009 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
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 LC 3809
 
                    House Joint Resolution 54
 
Sponsored by Representative MAURER; Representatives HARKER,
  ROBLAN, Senators BATES, KRUSE
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure as
introduced.
 
  Encourages State of Oregon to support establishment of
statewide network of hospitals capable of performing percutaneous
coronary intervention to provide rapid and effective treatment of
heart attacks.
 
                        JOINT RESOLUTION
  Whereas coronary artery disease and heart attacks remain the
most prevalent killers of Oregonians; and
  Whereas a heart attack occurs when a coronary artery supplying
blood to the heart muscle becomes suddenly blocked; and
  Whereas a heart attack caused by the sudden complete blockage
of an artery is called an ST-elevation myocardial infarction, or
STEMI; and
  Whereas a STEMI heart attack requires a quick reopening of the
artery and restoration of blood flow to the heart muscle to
prevent irreversible heart muscle damage and a high likelihood of
death or permanent disability; and
  Whereas every second counts when responding to a STEMI heart
attack; and
  Whereas research studies and quality initiatives championed by
the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart
Association in programs known as Door-to-Balloon Alliance and
Mission: Lifeline have shown that the best outcomes occur if the
blocked heart artery is opened within 90 minutes in a procedure
known as percutaneous coronary intervention, or PCI, using
special balloon-tipped angioplasty catheters and stents; and
  Whereas two of the biggest challenges in ensuring that a heart
attack victim arrives at the hospital in time to undergo PCI are
educating heart attack sufferers to call 9-1-1 as soon as
possible and developing streamlined regional protocols to quickly
open the blocked heart artery once the patient arrives at the
hospital; and
  Whereas the most effective treatment requires simultaneous
coordination of emergency medical services, emergency
departments, cardiologists and angioplasty lab facilities, and
the rapid interhospital transfer of patients to facilities
capable of performing PCI, combined with adequate emergency
medical services training, communication equipment and data
management; and
 
  Whereas although Oregon has 15 hospitals that are capable of
performing PCI and that participate in the Door-to-Balloon
Alliance quality improvement initiative, many Oregon communities
do not have a hospital capable of performing PCI and require
different strategies for optimal treatment of STEMI heart
attacks; and
  Whereas the Oregon chapter of the American College of
Cardiology believes that every Oregon citizen is entitled to have
access to the best available heart attack care regardless of
where the citizen lives; and
  Whereas it is in the best interest of the State of Oregon to
develop regional networks of hospitals capable of performing PCI
and hospitals not capable of performing PCI with local
reperfusion strategies for each unique community based on
clinical guidelines and best practices; and
  Whereas the accurate and rapid diagnosis and treatment of
patients with STEMI heart attacks throughout the State of Oregon
will improve the health and well-being of Oregonians, which is
evidenced by the successful STEMI programs developed and
implemented in southern Oregon by the Rogue Valley Medical Center
network and in central Oregon by the Heart One Regional Network;
now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of
  Oregon:
  That we, the members of the Seventy-fifth Legislative Assembly,
support the efforts of the Oregon chapter of the American College
of Cardiology and its strategic partners to establish a statewide
STEMI heart attack network for the optimal treatment of heart
attacks throughout this state, including the fastest possible
heart attack treatment time, lowest possible heart attack
mortality and best possible heart attack outcomes; and be it
further
  Resolved, That we encourage the State of Oregon, citizens'
groups and medical professionals to facilitate awareness of the
importance of rapid and effective treatment of heart attacks for
the benefit of Oregonians.
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