Patients who face heart-related diseases and conditions can now receive a quicker diagnosis and earlier treatment thanks to new equipment at Pawnee Valley Community Hospital (PVCH), 923 Carroll.

The electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) machine, which was donated by the PVCH Foundation, provides “a simple and fast test to evaluate your heart,” said Dusty Thacker, director of Cardiopulmonary Services. “Small electrodes are placed on the chest and connected to the machine. The electrical activity in your heart is then measured, interpreted and printed out.”

Examples of when someone may need an EKG include chest pain or a history of heart disease.

“We can evaluate problems such as fatigue, shortness of air, dizziness and irregular heartbeats,” Thacker noted. “The machine also can evaluate your heart before surgery and determine how your pacemaker is working.”

When someone is having a heart attack, “it is extremely important to open the arteries as quickly as possible to get oxygen and nutrients flowing to the blocked part of the heart.

“The sooner we can identify a heart attack taking place, the more heart-muscle function we can preserve,” Thacker said. “We can quickly determine a diagnosis and start a treatment plan.”

The machine’s hardware is completely redesigned with a touch screen and new technology.

This includes:

• Smart Lead Technology that automatically detects when a new patient is connected.
• Enhanced Hook-Up Advisor helps guide even new users on how to achieve a clean, high-quality waveform.
• Smart Auto-ECG immediately captures and displays the first clean, high-quality waveform, which reduces the number of repeat procedures.

“We are extremely lucky to have the Foundation’s support in securing this new technology,” Thacker commented. “The hospital benefits, which means patients and families benefit. All of us appreciate the Foundation’s foresight.”

He also noted the new EKG machine is just one of several items the Foundation has helped purchase over the years.

“A lot of this type of equipment cannot be found at smaller Critical Access Hospitals because of the cost,” Thacker said. “But thanks to the Foundation, this up-to-date technology makes it easier for our staff to deliver the highest level of patient care available.”

Cody Thacker, Foundation director, noted $19,000 was donated for the EKG.

“This and other equipment are possible only through the vital philanthropic support of our community, which positively impacts patients’ overall health,” Cody Thacker commented. “The Foundation’s mission is to advance quality healthcare in Pawnee and surrounding counties.

“We are guided by our remarkable trustees who are community leaders that have a vision for the success of the Foundation and the hospital.”

The Foundation was formed in 2012 as a non-profit charitable organization to support PVCH. It is the designated depository and trustee for all current and future gifts to the hospital.

Pawnee Valley Community Hospital, 923 Carroll in Larned, is a 25-bed facility, offering many services not typically available in a smaller facility. Included are 24/7 emergency care; acute, skilled and specialized nursing; surgery; high-tech imaging and laboratory tests; wound care; rehabilitation; and sleep and diagnostic center. The PVCH Family Medicine, 713 W. 11^th, provides the full range of family-medicine services; physician-assisted weight loss; and women’s health services. The hospital’s number is 620-285-3161; the clinic’s number is 620-804-6007.