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When the EKG is con rmed,
the preliminary report is
replaced with the nal report
in the patient’s chart.
Cardiologists/quali ed physicians
are able to interpret and provide
a nal report from wherever they
may be working.
Results are immediately available to
nurses and physicians in the chart.
When an EKG
is performed
Don't ignore symptoms if you're
frequently short of breath
DASHING UP THE
stairs or sprinting for the bus can
leave many of us out of breath. But most daily activities
or chores shouldn’t leave you feeling winded. Unusual
shortness of breath could be a sign of a medical problem.
What’s the cause? Along with other factors, shortness
of breath may stem from:
Infections.
These can include bronchitis and
pneumonia.
Lung diseases.
These include asthma and chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). They narrow the
airways and make it difficult to get air in and out of the
lungs. Symptoms may include wheezing and shortness
of breath. People with asthma also usually have allergies.
COPD can result from smoking.
Anxiety.
Feeling stressed out and anxious can bring
on a panic attack. You may feel short of breath or breathe
too fast. Usually you feel better once you calm down.
Cancer.
People who smoke are at risk for lung cancer,
which can result in shortness of breath.
Heart failure.
This is a condition where the heart
doesn’t pump efficiently. It may be harder to breathe
when you’re lying down or when you’re active. Other
common symptoms include swelling in the ankles and
unusual tiredness.
GETTING A DIAGNOSIS
Tell your physician if you notice
anything odd about your breathing.
Doctors may check out breathing problems with chest
x-rays, breathing tests or other examinations. Sometimes,
exercise tests on a treadmill or bike are used to check
breathing and heart function.
Treatment depends on the cause of the problem. For
example, asthma and heart failure are treated with medi-
cations, among other treatments. You might receive an
antibiotic if an infection is the cause.
Always call 911 if you have chest pain with shortness
of breath. This could be a sign of heart attack. The faster
you get help, the better your chances for recovery.
Sources: American College of Chest Physicians; American Heart Association
ELECTROCARDIOGRAMS (EKGS) ARE
one of the
world’s most widely prescribed diagnostic cardiology
tests. The average number of EKGs done at Samaritan
Hospital is 4,800 a year! We needed to make the EKG
process smoother to better care for our patients, so we’ve
streamlined the process.
On Jan. 20, 2015, Samaritan launched a new electronic
management system at the hospital, utilizing new EKG
machines. Our machines, Philips TC70s, have been inter-
faced and integrated with the Philips IntelliSpace (IECG),
Nuvodia and Meditech (our electronic medical records).
What does this mean? IECG will allow us to use the
latest networking technology so that when an EKG is
performed, the preliminary report and EKG are imme-
diately available for viewing in the patient’s chart by the
nurses, physicians and ancillary staff. Cardiologists and
other qualified physicians who interpret EKGs will be able
to access them and provide a final report from anywhere
they are working. When the EKG has been confirmed,
a final report is created that immediately replaces the
preliminary report in the patient’s chart.
This new process streamlines and provides efficiency
throughout the entire patient’s hospital visit, from the
downloading of the EKG orders directly to the EKG cart,
to the preliminary and final EKG reports transmitted
directly to the chart. And the complete EKG records are
available for the medical records department at discharge.
Samaritan Healthcare—including Samaritan Clinic,
Urgent Care and Parkview Pediatrics—is moving to a
fully integrated medical records system. In the near fu-
ture, IECG will allow for fast, easy access to EKGs from
almost anywhere, at any time, enhancing our workflow
through seamless connectivity.
PROBLEMS
BREATHING?
NEW TECHNOLOGY: Margie Milbrandt, RRT, director of respiratory care, shows members of Samaritan’s senior
leader team the enhanced capability of 1 of 8 new wireless EKG machines integrated within Samaritan’s network
and electronic medical record system.
Check with your doctor
if you are frequently short of breath.
MAKING IT EASIER FOR YOU
Samaritan streamlines the EKG process
S P R I N G 2 0 1 5
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T H E
S A M A R I T A N