Policy Proposal Verde Valley Medical Center
A policy proposal to improve cardiac care at Verde Valley Medical Center by meeting benchmarks for faster ECG and aspirin delivery to enhance patient outcomes.
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Policy Proposal: Verde Valley Medical Center 1
Policy Proposal: Verde Valley Medical Center
Elisa McGinnis
Capella University NHS-FPX6004: Healthcare Law and Policy
Dr. Tiffani Armstrong
February 5, 2025
Policy Proposal: Verde Valley Medical Center
Elisa McGinnis
Capella University NHS-FPX6004: Healthcare Law and Policy
Dr. Tiffani Armstrong
February 5, 2025
Policy Proposal: Verde Valley Medical Center 2
Abstract
Verde Valley Medical Center (VVMC) is the local hospital servicing all of the Verde
Valley. The Verde Valley is located in the heart of Arizona and consists of 9 towns;
CampVerde, Clarkdale, Cornville, Cottonwood, Jerome, Lake Montezuma, Rimrock, Sedona,
and the Village of Oak Creek (Mitropoulos, 2022). Over the years VVMC has undergone
many changes including a name change, it was once known as Marcus J. Lawrence (MJL).
VVMA was purchased by Northern Arizona Healthcare (NAH) and given a facelift and its
new name of Verde Valley Medical Center. It was during this time that the reputation began
to change and a more positive light was shone on the organization. Part of the changes meant
that new departments and specialties were brought in to help change the poor reputation that
MJL had on the community for so long.
One of the biggest changes was the cardiology department, until this point anyone
who came to the ER with chest pain was transferred to a nearby hospital (Northern Arizona
Healthcare, 2025). Bringing on a cardiology department meant that those who experienced
chest pain or have some sort of heart related issue can now be seen locally and quickly.
Bringing on a new department has not been without its share of problems and learning
experiences.
According to the dashboard VVMC has some room for growth and improvement as to
how quickly they are providing those experiencing chest pain with an ECG and aspirin.
Benchmarks for cardiology related issues have specific goals that are identified by local,
state, and federal governments in order to improve cardiac patient outcomes. These
benchmarks are necessary to help cardiac patients achieve their optimal levels of health while
identifying the onset of a heart attack. In order to ensure that benchmarks are met new
policies will need to be made.
Abstract
Verde Valley Medical Center (VVMC) is the local hospital servicing all of the Verde
Valley. The Verde Valley is located in the heart of Arizona and consists of 9 towns;
CampVerde, Clarkdale, Cornville, Cottonwood, Jerome, Lake Montezuma, Rimrock, Sedona,
and the Village of Oak Creek (Mitropoulos, 2022). Over the years VVMC has undergone
many changes including a name change, it was once known as Marcus J. Lawrence (MJL).
VVMA was purchased by Northern Arizona Healthcare (NAH) and given a facelift and its
new name of Verde Valley Medical Center. It was during this time that the reputation began
to change and a more positive light was shone on the organization. Part of the changes meant
that new departments and specialties were brought in to help change the poor reputation that
MJL had on the community for so long.
One of the biggest changes was the cardiology department, until this point anyone
who came to the ER with chest pain was transferred to a nearby hospital (Northern Arizona
Healthcare, 2025). Bringing on a cardiology department meant that those who experienced
chest pain or have some sort of heart related issue can now be seen locally and quickly.
Bringing on a new department has not been without its share of problems and learning
experiences.
According to the dashboard VVMC has some room for growth and improvement as to
how quickly they are providing those experiencing chest pain with an ECG and aspirin.
Benchmarks for cardiology related issues have specific goals that are identified by local,
state, and federal governments in order to improve cardiac patient outcomes. These
benchmarks are necessary to help cardiac patients achieve their optimal levels of health while
identifying the onset of a heart attack. In order to ensure that benchmarks are met new
policies will need to be made.
Policy Proposal: Verde Valley Medical Center 3
Verde Valley Medical Center cardiac evaluation
Hospital Arizona Nationwide
Aspirin within 24 hrs of arrival NA 95% 95%
Average time to receive ECG 10 min 8 min 7 min
The healthcare compare website looks at each hospital and analyzes their benchmarks
against other hospitals both on a state and national level. This report analyzed the
benchmarks for cardiac care. You can see in the chart above that W M C is right in line with
the administration of an ECG according to federal guidelines but is not as quick as other
hospitals. When it comes to the administration of aspirin they do not show their time, this
does not necessarily mean that they are not providing aspirin within the federal timeline. It
can mean that their documentation is lacking or that there is not enough data for them to get
an accurate time. Cardiac issues are critical and when they are not caught quick enough and
can lead to serious complications and oftentimes death. When a person comes to the ED
stating that they are experiencing chest pain it is crucial that they be taken seriously and
receive an ECG within 10 minutes and aspirin quickly after that. Patients should receive their
initial ECG within 10 minutes of arrival (Buelt et al., 2023). Out of those that receive their
initial ECG up to 6% with cardiac ischemia are discharged from the ED, in order to prevent
this a second ECG needs to be given with a higher index of suspicion in order to ensure that
the patient is safe to discharge home.
Proposed Policy
It is necessary to create a policy that will ensure that a process is in place for quality
assurance for patients experiencing chest pain. It is vital that a policy be put into effect and
implemented in order to improve cardiac care by meeting benchmark goals. Evidence shows
that the door-to-ECG time (DTE) of cardiac emergencies is crucial for diagnosing ST-
segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)(Maliszewski et al., 2020). For example,
Verde Valley Medical Center cardiac evaluation
Hospital Arizona Nationwide
Aspirin within 24 hrs of arrival NA 95% 95%
Average time to receive ECG 10 min 8 min 7 min
The healthcare compare website looks at each hospital and analyzes their benchmarks
against other hospitals both on a state and national level. This report analyzed the
benchmarks for cardiac care. You can see in the chart above that W M C is right in line with
the administration of an ECG according to federal guidelines but is not as quick as other
hospitals. When it comes to the administration of aspirin they do not show their time, this
does not necessarily mean that they are not providing aspirin within the federal timeline. It
can mean that their documentation is lacking or that there is not enough data for them to get
an accurate time. Cardiac issues are critical and when they are not caught quick enough and
can lead to serious complications and oftentimes death. When a person comes to the ED
stating that they are experiencing chest pain it is crucial that they be taken seriously and
receive an ECG within 10 minutes and aspirin quickly after that. Patients should receive their
initial ECG within 10 minutes of arrival (Buelt et al., 2023). Out of those that receive their
initial ECG up to 6% with cardiac ischemia are discharged from the ED, in order to prevent
this a second ECG needs to be given with a higher index of suspicion in order to ensure that
the patient is safe to discharge home.
Proposed Policy
It is necessary to create a policy that will ensure that a process is in place for quality
assurance for patients experiencing chest pain. It is vital that a policy be put into effect and
implemented in order to improve cardiac care by meeting benchmark goals. Evidence shows
that the door-to-ECG time (DTE) of cardiac emergencies is crucial for diagnosing ST-
segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)(Maliszewski et al., 2020). For example,
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