JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2014 HCA Florida Memorial Hospital has been awarded the Silver Level Center on the Path to Excellence in Life Support Award by the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) for its ECMO program.<\/p>\n
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <\/b><\/a><\/p>\n The award recognizes the hospital\u2019s exceptional commitment to evidence-based processes, quality measures, staff training, patient satisfaction, and ongoing clinical care in its ECMO program. ECMO, or Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation, is a life support technique that temporarily takes over the function of the heart and lungs, providing oxygen to the blood and removing carbon dioxide.<\/p>\n \u201cOur ECMO program has been recognized for its excellence in life support,\u201d said Dale Mueller, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon and Chief of Medical Staff at HCA Florida Memorial Hospital.<\/p>\n With more than 6,000 hospitals in the United States, there are only about 400 ECMO centers nationwide, highlighting the significance of HCA Florida Memorial Hospital\u2019s achievement.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are honored to be the recipient of such a prestigious award regarding the critical care services and life support equipment, and training provided to our patients at our hospital,\u201d said Donna Wagner, Vice President of Cardiovascular, Critical Care, and Neurosciences at HCA Florida Memorial Hospital.<\/p>\n ECMO is one of the most advanced forms of life support available to patients experiencing acute failure of the cardio-respiratory system, allowing time for the patient\u2019s lungs or heart to heal by using a heart-lung machine to oxygenate the blood outside the body.<\/p>\n [DOWNLOAD: <\/b>Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks<\/b><\/a>]<\/b><\/p>\n