House Joint Resolution 54 Oregon Laws 2009

AN ACT

          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.

Filed in the office of Secretary of State June 19, 2009

__________