Here are the facts.

1. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, resulting in nearly one million deaths annually. One in five Americans suffers from some form of cardiovascular disease.
2. Cardiovascular disease mortality in South Carolina ranks as the 7th worst in the nation, with over 14,000 deaths each year.
3. For a person suffering a heart attack, every minute counts. Blood flow to the heart is restricted and muscle damage occurs, worsening with each passing minute. In fact, fast treatment can be the difference between full recovery and death or disability.
4. In the last year, 773 patients had to leave Lexington County for angioplasty and 397 had to leave Lexington County for open-heart surgery. That represents more than one patient every eight hours.
5. Medical research shows that transferring patients between hospitals adds an average of more than two hours to treatment time.
6. Lexington County is the largest county in South Carolina without an open-heart surgery program.
7. The need for comprehensive cardiac care in our area will continue to increase. In fact, experts project Lexington County population growth of 44% by 2025.
8. Lexington Medical Center (“LMC”) cares for more than 205,000 patients annually in its Emergency Department (one of the busiest in South Carolina) and Community Medical Centers – a large number of the patients arrive with cardiac symptoms.
9. Medical experts recognize that the time from onset of a heart attack to treatment (often with balloon angioplasty) is a critical factor in preventing permanent disability or death. According to testimony by cardiologists, the transfer of a heart attack patient from LMC to a downtown hospital results in an average delay in treatment of 1 ½ to 2 hours, a delay which can be deadly or disabling.
10. LMC is prohibited from providing angioplasty without an approved open heart program.
11. In calendar year 2005, LMC performed 1,532 diagnostic heart catheterizations – far more than any other South Carolina hospital without the ability to perform angioplasty or open heart surgery.
12. Lexington County patients and physicians across the Midlands overwhelmingly support LMC’s need for an open heart surgery program. More than 650 letters of support were received, including 177 from physicians.
13. Large metropolitan areas can support multiple cardiac programs. There are 4 programs in the Upstate, 3 in Charleston, and 2 in Florence. Increased competition between hospitals will only improve quality and innovation.
14. LMC projects between 210-240 open heart procedures per year – enough to provide quality outcomes with minimal declines in volume at the other providers.
15. LMC met the criteria in the State Health Plan for approval of a cardiac program but was denied.
16. LMC will continue to pursue all legal means available to help improve the quality of healthcare in Lexington County

Our request is all about timely patient care; it is not about economics. Your hospital met every requirement in the state health plan as administered by DHEC and still was turned down. All we ask is that DHEC follow their own regulations and grant us the open-heart program we need.