(Kansas City, MO – October 1, 2018) – On September 11, 2018 Dan Smothers, 50-year-old father of three, was sitting in a meeting when he started to sweat profusely. He felt fine but could not stop sweating! It was to the point where he went to the restroom to change his clothes. He then realized something was not right and asked a coworker to call 911. He wasn’t experiencing chest pain or any heart attack symptoms. It’s important to note that Dan is 175lbs, 5’11, active hockey referee who has no previous health conditions.
Brian Schenig and Amelia Wheeler, Paramedics with Johnson County MED-ACT, arrived on the scene and quickly identified Mr. Smothers was having a heart attack. They called a code STEMI (ST elevation myocardial infarction) to St. Joseph Medical Center allowing the cardiac catherization and emergency room team to prepare for Dan’s arrival. Upon arrival, Dan was taken to the cath lab and within six minutes had complete stenting of the 100% blocked right coronary artery by Dr. Francisco Lammoglia, MD, FACC with Healient Physician Group.
“Dr. Lammoglia said if I would have gone home, I could have been dead,” said Dan “I am beyond thankful for the paramedic, staff, and providers that assisted in my care.”
Dan wants to make sure the public knows that heart attacks can happen to anyone and that they don’t always occur with chest pain. “He is truly a miracle,” said Holly Smothers, Dan’s wife.
Dr. Lammogila said, “Dan’s blockage leading to his heart attack could have been diagnosed by a five-minute screening called a Coronary Calcium Score” said Dr. Lammogila. “I would highly recommend anyone over the age of 40 to have this screening.”
For this reason, St. Joseph Medical Center will have $40 Calcium Score Screenings until March 1, 2019. This is the lowest price in the city because St. Joseph Medical Center wants to make this screening accessible to as many individuals as possible. The exam takes about five minutes and doesn’t involve needles, prep, pain, or a physician’s referral. Call 816-943-4799 to schedule your appointment today!
Every year more than 250,000 people experience an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the deadliest type of heart attack caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart, that requires timely treatment. To prevent death, it’s critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, either by starting CPR, mechanically opening the blocked vessel, or by providing clot-busting medication.
St. Joseph Medical Center has been recognized as a recipient of Mission: Lifeline’s Silver-Plus award, which recognizes the hospital has reached an achievement score of 75 percent or greater for treating STEMI transfer patients from other facilities within 120 minutes. “We commend St. Joseph Medical Center for this achievement award, which reflects a significant institutional commitment to the highest quality of care for their heart attack patients,” said James G. Jollis, MD, Chair of the Mission: Lifeline Advisory Working Group.
###
About St. Joseph Medical Center
St. Joseph Medical Center is a faith-based, 310-bed hospital providing a wide range of acute care and outpatient services. Key services include the, Senior Care Services St. Joseph Heart Institute, and Joint and Spine Institute. St. Joseph is a member of Prime Healthcare. Prime Healthcare and its hospitals have been recognized as among the “100 Top Hospitals” in the nation 38 times and among the “15 Top Health Systems” three times, and Prime Healthcare is the only “Top 10 Health System” west of the Mississippi. We believe that continuous, quality of care and performance improvements are the foundation for preserving and enhancing healthcare delivery. For more information, visit stjosephkc.com.