Vaughan Regional Medical Center earned accreditation as a Chest Pain Center last week and is now more prepared for patients dealing with potentially fatal heart conditions.

The accreditation came from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care, an international nonprofit organization focused on transforming cardiovascular care.

It took more than a year for the hospital to earn the title as a chest pain center. The hospital’s staff had to undergo a lot of training and during that time worked to educate the community about heart care.

One thing is for sure — a new accreditation like this one shows the staff’s passion for serving the community it serves in Selma.

It also shows the hospital is making strides to fight heart disease — the No. 1 cause of death in the state of Alabama and an all-too-common problem here in Selma.

The new training focused on reducing the time from the onset of symptoms to diagnosis and treatment. The faster a person can be treated during a heart attack, the more of the heart muscle can be preserved.

Nobody expects to have a heart attack and even fewer reading this think it can actually happen to them. However, heart attacks can affect anyone and they don’t come with a neon, Las Vegas style warning sign.

Thankfully, the staff at Vaughan is prepared to do whatever it can to help those that may experience one in the near future.