Marc Jewett pedaled through Jackson Hole, Wyo., feeling capable and confident.
“I’m an avid cyclist and this was my strongest ride all summer. I was cooking,” Marc said.
With only a mile left, an aggressive acid reflux-like sensation crept in. Marc coasted into a sandwich shop, thinking food might settle things down; but after placing an order, the heartburn intensified with breath-taking power.
This didn’t feel like the heart attack symptoms Marc had experienced years before. No crushing pressure pounded his chest. Nonetheless, Marc abandoned his untouched food and called 911– and it’s a good thing he did.
Emergency Medical Specialists (EMS) arrived via ambulance and an EKG confirmed Marc’s heart problems. By the time Marc arrived at a local hospital, just two blocks away, his chest pain had climbed to a 9.5 on a pain scale of 10.
For the most advanced cardiac care, go to EIRMC
Emergency Room physicians quickly treated and stabilized Marc, and then transferred him to more advanced care at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center (EIRMC) via a helicopter.
“From the moment we landed on the helipad, I saw nothing but people who knew what they needed to do,” Marc said. “I know what good procedures and work looks like, and the response was wonderful!”
With the most comprehensive cardiology and neurology services in the region, EIRMC regularly receives patients in need of expert care. In fact, the facility was named among the “Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospitals” in the United States in 2020 and 2021 by IBM Watson HealthTM.
One of many reasons the cardiac center receives such accolades is because it’s the only cardiac center in the region that treats heart attack patients 24/7.
“It’s a big commitment to have our specialists, staff and facility available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. We’re the only hospital in Idaho Falls that provides this service around the clock,” said Kristen Hjelm, cardiovascular services manager at EIRMC.
Travis Arnold, director of cardiology services at EIRMC, noted that the always-accessible heart care speaks volumes about the quality care and compassion offered at EIRMC.
“You never know when a heart attack will happen. Our around-the-clock-care shows our level of commitment to the community. If you’re having a heart attack at 2 a.m., we are there for you,” Travis said.
Beating national standards means better chances at beating a heart attack
Even before Marc arrived at EIRMC, a cardiologist, interventional cardiologist, cardiothoracic surgeon and a team of specialized staff members began collaborating and preparing to treat Marc’s heart.
“Because of our synchronized collaboration, we are in the nation’s 90th percentile for how quickly we can get arriving patients from the doors of our Emergency Room into the Cardiac Catheterization Lab, with a balloon inflating to open a blocked artery. Our ‘door-to-balloon time’ at EIRMC is only 56 minutes. The national standard is 90 minutes,” Travis said.
As Marc suffered a heart attack, such speed proved key to a successful outcome. Once whisked to the cath lab, Marc’s team of cardiac specialists identified an obstructed coronary artery, then the invasive cardiologist quickly cleared it. But the expert team also discovered other arteries seriously narrowed and partially blocked. Despite being a healthy and active 63-year-old, Marc needed a multiple bypass surgery.
“Both of my parents passed away from heart attacks when I was only a teenager,” Marc said. “My family genetics caught up with me.”
Thankfully, Marc was in the right place for a remedy.
EIRMC experts provide a group effort to personalized cardiology care
“We provide the complete spectrum of cardiac, cardiovascular and thoracic services for adult patients with heart conditions,” Travis said. “We have the most advanced structural heart care program in southeast Idaho. We offer the most advanced minimally invasive treatments as well as large-scale open- heart surgeries. We also do all the work-up and follow-up appointments at our facility, so patients don’t need to go to other locations. We have an amazing team here!”
Dr. Brett Hiendlmayr, a board-certified interventional cardiologist at EIRMC, played a crucial role in bringing cutting-edge cardiology care closer to home for eastern Idaho residents. He began EIRMC’s mitral valve repair program and expanded other minimally invasive valve repair and replacement programs (e.g. TAVR and Watchman) within the hospital.
“It’s so important to provide patients with top-quality treatment without a large delay,” Dr. Hiendlmayr said. “And at EIRMC, we aim to provide that care in a personalized way.”
Each week at EIRMC, multidisciplinary discussions take place involving interventional and structural cardiologists, surgeons, anesthesiologists and other specialties. Dr. Hiendlmayr says these scheduled communication opportunities make a positive impact on cardiology care.
“During our multidisciplinary discussion, we go through the nitty gritty of each case. We then determine the best way to move forward by incorporating national guidelines and patient-specific data. These discussions often improve the way we approach a patient’s care, and I think patients feel a sense of comfort knowing that multiple specialists are talking together to ensure the right approach,” Dr. Hiendlmayr said.
After specialists met for a multidisciplinary discussion about Marc’s heart, he underwent multiple bypass surgery. While Marc remembers the challenging initial days following his open-heart surgery, he feels grateful he only needed one unit of blood and experienced little complications. After a short stay in the cardiac recovery unit, Marc left the hospital with another chance at life.
“Even though I had a heart attack, I did the right things, and my medical teams did the right things. It all came together perfectly,” Marc said.