PERT Team, numerous others, save patient’s life.

Good Samaritan launched its Pulmonary Embolus Response Team in May of 2023. This effort included many meetings with physicians, operational teams and nursing to develop a flow to treat newly diagnosed pulmonary emboli rapidly and with a standard algorithm. Just this week, on Tuesday, that process proved its value. 

A 75-year-old woman presented to the Emergency Department with a complaint of shortness of breath and chest pain. She underwent a CT, which demonstrated a saddle embolus, as well as evidence of right heart strain. The PERT team was activated, and a treatment plan established that included anticoagulation and intervention. The next morning, yesterday, she underwent thrombectomy with successful extraction of the clot.

The patient and her husband were deeply grateful for the extraordinary skill and urgency they received from the entire team, including the physicians who cared for her: David Rutherford, DO, Emergency Medicine, Erin Marcum, MD, and Chris Slater, MD, both Internal Medicine, Chhaya Patel, MD, Pulmonary Disease, and Paul Stangl, MD, Radiology.

The couple shared they were aware of the severity of pulmonary embolisms, having had two friends who died because of them. The husband said, “We celebrated our 56th wedding anniversary last week. They saved her life. We have the chance to write the next chapter of our lives because of this. Thank you!”

Thank you to everyone involved in the dedicated and superior care of this patient – and every patient admitted to Good Samaritan every day. You are appreciated.