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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas, in |
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recognition of American Heart Month, takes great pride in honoring |
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Heart Hospital of Austin, a campus of St. David's Medical Center, |
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for its outstanding leadership and numerous accomplishments in the |
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fight against heart disease, our nation's number one killer; and |
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WHEREAS, Heart Hospital of Austin opened on December 7, 1998, |
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as a shared vision of local cardiologists and cardiovascular |
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surgeons seeking to provide exceptional cardiovascular care to the |
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people of Central Texas, and since that time the hospital has |
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treated more than 118,800 people from cities throughout Texas, all |
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50 states, the District of Columbia, and many U.S. territories; and |
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WHEREAS, Nearly 2,300 Americans die of cardiovascular |
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diseases each day, about one person every 38 seconds, with |
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cardiovascular diseases claiming more lives each year than cancer, |
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chronic lower respiratory diseases, and accidents combined; and |
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WHEREAS, Heart Hospital of Austin has raised the bar for |
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cardiac care in Central Texas and the nation, being ranked as the |
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number one cardiac program in Texas for six consecutive years, an |
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accomplishment no other hospital has achieved, and being named by a |
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July 2009 study funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid |
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Services as the leading hospital in the United States for treatment |
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of a heart attack; and |
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WHEREAS, Heart Hospital of Austin, part of the St. David's |
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HealthCare System, also includes a chest pain center and is, like |
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all of St. David's HealthCare's hospitals, accredited as a |
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Certified Chest Pain Center by the Society of Chest Pain Centers, |
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the nation's premier organization focused on improving care for |
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patients with acute coronary syndromes; this universal |
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accreditation signifies a commitment to exceeding quality-of-care |
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measures in acute cardiac medicine and recognizes the expertise of |
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physicians, nurses, and other professionals, as well as the |
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excellence of treatment protocols; and |
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WHEREAS, St. David's HealthCare is one of the largest health |
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systems in the state, employing more than 7,100 persons in more than |
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60 sites across Central Texas; it is also home to the Texas Cardiac |
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Arrhythmia Institute at St. David's Medical Center, one of the |
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world's most comprehensive treatment, training, and research |
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centers dedicated to the latest advances for correcting atrial |
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fibrillation and other heart rhythm disorders; and |
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WHEREAS, Embracing their mission to protect and promote the |
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cardiac health of area Texans, Heart Hospital of Austin and St. |
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David's HealthCare are vital assets to the Capitol City and the Lone |
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Star State, and they are indeed worthy of special recognition for |
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their achievements in promoting heart health; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby commend Heart Hospital of Austin and St. David's HealthCare |
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for providing exceptional cardiovascular care and honor affiliated |
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physicians for their valiant efforts in the fight against heart |
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disease; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Heart Hospital of Austin as an expression of high |
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regard and esteem by the Texas Legislature. |