DALLAS, Texas — Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas received international recognition from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) for its advanced care for critically ill patients.

The Path to Excellence in Life Support Silver Level ELSO Award recognizes Extracorporeal Life Support (ECLS) programs that care for patients requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). About the size of a small suitcase, an ECMO machine pumps blood through an artificial lung back into the patient’s bloodstream.

The award demonstrates the significance of an ECMO program and the importance of promptly responding to critical patients in distress, said Andres Leal, M.D., a Texas Health Physicians Group* cardiothoracic surgeon on the Texas Health Dallas medical staff.

“Texas Health Dallas is committed to mastering and delivering advanced medical therapies to help patients overcome life-threatening illnesses,” said Leal, who also serves as co-medical director of the ECMO program. “We want individuals to have a better quality of life, so they can return to their loved ones and their communities.”

Bolstering life-support resources

Texas Health Dallas established its ECMO program more than four years ago; just last year, the hospital added ECMO transport services.

Transport services enable the hospital to reach more patients, further away, said Richard Kim, M.D., a pulmonologist on the Texas Health Dallas medical staff and co-medical director of the ECMO program.

“Sometimes, a patient at another hospital might need high-acuity care offered at Texas Health Dallas,” Kim said. “That’s where transport capabilities come into play, because our care team can safely get them to Texas Health Dallas by ground or air.”

When a patient at a referring hospital is unstable for traditional transport, Texas Health Dallas’ mobile ECMO team deploys by air or ground to place the patient on a mobile life-support machine.

The program’s transport team is made up of a cardiothoracic surgeon, an ECMO specialist, and a perfusionist.

“No matter the location in North Texas, we have the capability to meet patients where they are and immediately provide critical life-support technology,” said Julie Cox, B.S.N., R.N., CCRN, CES-A, ECMO program manager for Texas Health Dallas. “Saving lives is what truly matters.”

ECMO supports patients being treated for:

• Cardiogenic shock
• Cardiomyopathy
• Heart attack
• Inhalation burns
• Myocarditis
• Pneumonia
• Pulmonary embolism
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Sepsis
• Severe hypothermia
• Trauma
• Witnessed cardiac arrest (seen by a bystander or care team member)

“Using ECMO on the most critical patients, we can help their bodies rest and recover,” Cox said. “This award represents the first milestone in our program’s journey.” 

Celebrating achievements, providing compassionate care

The three-tiered ELSO award is categorized using Platinum, Gold and Silver levels, with Platinum representing the highest recognition.

The designation lasts for three years and emphasizes:

• Quality patient care
• Established policies and procedures
• Comprehensive training and educational resources
• A defined family education program

“Our ECMO program offers advanced technologies and compassionate care for North Texans dealing with critical conditions. We’re humbled to earn recognition from organizations such as ELSO for our continuous efforts,” said Chris York, FACHE, Texas Health Dallas president.

“It truly takes a multidisciplinary team of dedicated caregivers, including physicians on the medical staff, nurses and therapists, to provide individuals the care they need and deserve,” York said. “And that’s what Texas Health Dallas does, even before they enter our doors.”

*Physicians employed by Texas Health Physicians Group practice independently and are not employees or agents of Texas Health Resources hospitals.