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Sentara Williamsburg Community Hospital has introduced a pocket-sized emergency information card that could save a person’s life. Patients in Williamsburg who sign up for the Pocket EKG program will receive a baseline EKG and a cholesterol and blood pressure screening. An on-site nurse will offer counseling for the cholesterol and blood pressure results and provide education on heart health. The EKG studies are interpreted by Williamsburg cardiologists and patients receive those results in about 10 days.
With the EKG test interpretation from the physician, patients will also receive a personal wallet size medical identification card that provides essential emergency information and cardiac history on one side and their actual baseline EKG on the other.
If a patient is away from home or is in an emergency, the EKG card offers attending physicians valuable information to aid in treatment. In an emergency, a cardiologist can compare a new reading to the baseline EKG reading listed on the card.
Dr. Stephanie Goodwin, a local interventional cardiologist on staff at Sentara Williamsburg Community Hospital, said physicians and patients will both benefit from the Pocket EKG card.
"Physicians will have access to valuable information when treating patients in an emergent situation. The availability of this information will help physicians decide the best course of treatment," Dr. Goodwin said. "Patients, meanwhile, can confidently carry this information with them in their wallet or purse, and in the event of an emergency, can rest assured that the information will play a role in helping save their lives."
The Pocket EKG exam is available for only $20. The exam includes:
-Electrocardiogram (EKG) read by a cardiologist
-Wallet card with a patient’s EKG and vital signs
-Blood pressure and cholesterol screenings
-Health Risk Assessment. A patient can take a simple quiz and assess their risk for a number of illnesses or diseases, including heart disease
-Heart-health education materials
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