HOUSTON (Aug. 19, 2024)
— Bouts of debilitating chest pains and shortness of breath drove Mary Olveda to the emergency center and cardiology department at Harris Health Ben Taub Hospital in 2010. An emergency stent was placed in her heart to clear a clogged artery. It helped, but as she openly admits, her lifestyle didn’t change and in 2022 she required the more invasive open-heart surgery to replace her damaged artery.
“There was no question where I was going to go. This is the hospital where everything has been done for me since 2010,” Olveda recalls. “I trust them, they know me and they know what’s going on with me. I made the right choice by coming here because this is the best hospital.”
Her trust in Ben Taub Hospital is a sentiment shared by the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association, evident by several national commendations awarded for the hospital’s heart and stroke services. Also receiving several national heart and stroke recognitions was Harris Health Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital.
The 2024 awards reflect Harris Health’s elite status and commitment to providing the community with vital life-saving treatment and care for heart and stroke patients.
“Our teams at both of our hospitals have only one thing in mind: providing patients the best possible care that meets or exceeds high national standards,” says Glorimar Medina, MD, executive vice president and administrator, Ben Taub Hospital.
Ben Taub Hospital—Recipient of 2024 national honors in heart and stroke care:
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Get With The Guidelines-Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI – Gold
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Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
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Get With The Guidelines-Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Receiving Center – Gold Plus
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Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
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Get With The Guidelines Stroke-Gold Plus
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Target Stroke Honor Roll
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Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
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Get With The Guidelines Heart Failure- Gold Plus
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Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll
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Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
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Get With The Guidelines-10 Year Recognition
LBJ Hospital—Recipient of 2024 national honors in heart and stroke care:
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Get With The Guidelines-Heart Failure Gold Plus
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Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll
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Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
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Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation Gold
- Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Silver Plus
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Target: Stroke Elite Honor Roll
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Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
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Get With The Guidelines-Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Referring Bronze Plus
Though best known for trauma and emergency care, Ben Taub and LBJ hospitals are building national reputations for cardiology and stroke care—particularly ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) at Ben Taub Hospital. STEMI and NSTEMI are the deadliest types of heart attacks.
“These recognitions demonstrate Harris Health’s commitment to provide evidence-based cardiac and stroke care to our community,” says Patricia Darnauer, executive vice president and administrator, LBJ Hospital. “Our patients and our community can trust that their care at our hospitals is the best when they need us most.”
Olveda agrees. She is currently recovering from another STEMI procedure and a stent placement in another clogged artery in May 2024. “This was my wake-up call,” she says. “I don’t want to go through this again. I want to enjoy life and spend more time with my family.”
Ben Taub Hospital is a Comprehensive Stroke Center certified by DNV Healthcare and a Chest Pain Center reaccredited in 2024 by the American College of Cardiology (ACC). Additionally, the chest pain center recently received awards of Primary PCI and a 2024 MI Registry Platinum Performance from ACC. LBJ Hospital received a 2024 reaccreditation for its Echocardiography Laboratory from the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission. The accreditations are for three-year terms.