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Touchpoints Spring 2012

 

Mending Deb Koziol’s Heart and Soul

Rhode Island Hospital’s Cardiovascular Institute Heals the Whole Patient

One evening a few years ago, when Debra Koziol was only 47, she was relaxing at home with her husband when she suddenly collapsed. Deb, who had been healthy and active all of her life, had experienced what is known as sudden cardiac death.

Her husband called 911 and delivered CPR until the rescue team arrived. During the ambulance ride to the hospital, the team continued chest compressions and delivered shocks with a defibrillator six times. Koziol’s heart started beating again just before they arrived at Rhode Island Hospital, where a waiting emergency team whisked her inside and stabilized her. Deb had not been breathing on her own for approximately 35 minutes, and it is estimated that 95 percent of sudden cardiac victims die before even reaching the hospital. Inside the hospital’s cardiac catheterization lab, Deb’s cardiac team installed an intra-aortic balloon pump and then induced a coma to allow her body some time to heal.

Doctors were concerned for her survival and the possibility of brain damage, but luckily, Deb awoke from her coma doing well a few days later. She went on to have successful open-heart surgery with Dr. Arun Singh to repair the cause of her cardiac event—a leaking mitral valve.

“I will be forever grateful to the team of people who cared for me and my family at Rhode Island Hospital,” Deb says, who gives high praises to the emergency team, her clinical team, and even the friendly housekeeping staff. “When I think back to what was the most traumatic event of my life, my initial thoughts are that I was never alone. My doctors and nurses consistently gave us information and education on what was happening to me and what I would be going through. They have compassion and empathy and a genuine love for what they do.”

After a month at Rhode Island Hospital, Deb was sent home with a temporary automatic defibrillator, which was later replaced with a defibrillator implant. Cardiac rehab followed at the Center for Cardiac Fitness on the campus of The Miriam Hospital (also a part of the Cardiac Institute). Today Deb is doing great and says, “I am living proof of the excellence of the Cardiovascular Institute’s cardiac services,” she says. “They were there for me, and my family, on my road to recovery. We are forever grateful.”

 

The collaborative heart surgery program at Rhode Island and The Miriam hospitals is the hospitals’ newest center of excellence. The program spans the campuses of both facilities and provides the best possible care for all heart patients.

  • At Rhode Island Hospital, we perform four types of open heart surgery, as well as surgery to repair congenital heart defects and atrial fibrillation.

  • Our surgeons perform 750 to 800 procedures a year, making us one of the highest volume programs in all of New England.

  • We have a team approach to cardiac care. Our talented nurses, cardiologists, anesthesiologists, physician assistants, case managers, dietitians, and rehabilitation therapists assist patients every step of the way in their journey, from diagnosis and treatment to follow-up care.

When it comes to a heart attack, every second counts. Call 911 immediately if you have any of these symptoms:

  • Chest discomfort (pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain) in the middle of the chest that lasts longer than a few minutes or that goes away and returns

  • Discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach

  • Shortness of breath, with or without chest discomfort

  • A cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness

You should know:

  • Not all warning signs occur in every heart attack

  • All symptoms can go away and return

  • Women are more likely than men to experience shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain, in addition to chest discomfort

  • Most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort

Honored for High Quality Care

For the sixteenth consecutive year, Rhode Island Hospital has received the Consumer Choice award for excellence in providing high quality patient care by the National Research Corporation (NRC). Rhode Island Hospital is the only hospital in the state to receive the Consumer Choice award.

The award is based on NRC Ticker, the largest consumer survey on health care in the United States. Consumers in the Providence-New Bedford-Fall River areas ranked Rhode Island Hospital at the top of the list based on four essential consumer metrics: best overall quality, best image/reputation, best doctors and best nurses.

“Technology has changed the way patients choose health care providers,” says Dr. Timothy J. Babineau, president and chief executive officer of Rhode Island Hospital. “Patients and their families are researching physicians, programs and institutions—they don’t just ask their friends and families for recommendations anymore, they are receiving advice from contacts on social media networks and websites. This award demonstrates that when weighing all of the feedback consumers receive, they continue to select Rhode Island Hospital as their provider of choice due to the high quality patient care, and the staff’s commitment to providing the best patient experience.”

 

To make a gift in tribute or memory to Rhode Island Hospital, please contact Sara Bomberger at 401-444-6213 or sbomberger@lifespan.org.

Memories endure, and so can the impact of our loved ones. Tribute giving provides a marvelous way to honor someone special in your life while supporting quality health care in your community. Below are just a few ideas of how patients, visitors and generous donors support the important work of Rhode Island Hospital.

A Gift in Celebration marks a special anniversary or occasion and lets friends and loved ones know you’re thinking of them.

A Gift of Honor shows your gratitude to a caregiver, or a team of caregivers, for their committed and compassionate service.

A Gift in Memory conveys your sympathy while also helping us deliver the best care possible. Many people make these gifts in lieu of flowers.

Rhode Island Hospital will send a letter to the honoree, or to the next of kin, to acknowledge your generosity.

Video Feature

As Rhode Island Hospital kicks off its 150th year anniversary, we look back on our “firsts” and ahead to the possibilities.

  


Rhode Island Hospital Foundation
PO Box H
Providence, RI 02901

Emily J. Quinn
Associate Director of Development
(401) 444-6509 Phone
(401) 444-2716 Fax
equinn@lifespan.org

Sara Bomberger
Senior Gift Officer
(401) 444-6213 Phone
(401) 444-2716 Fax
sbomberger@lifespan.org