Quick care from TriStar Greenview's ER and cardiac teams helps save former colleague's life

When former TriStar Greenview emergency preparedness coordinator and paramedic Charlie O’Neal was facing a heart attack, he turned to the hospital he trusted most. Charlie rushed to TriStar Greenview’s emergency department, where the care team immediately jumped into action.

Charlie is a 69-year-old man who is dedicated to a healthy lifestyle. He walks over a mile and a half a day, stays active and works regularly. In November, he completed a cardiac CT at TriStar Hendersonville that showed a narrowing of his coronary artery due to calcium buildup. Charlie spoke with his cardiologist, and he scheduled an elective catheterization procedure at TriStar Greenview and resolved the issue. 

Fast forward to December 7th, 2024. Charlie was at home with his dog renewing his paramedic license when he felt intense chest pain. Initially, he brushed it off as indigestion from the spicy chips he was eating, but his medical training as a paramedic kicked in. He knew the classic signs of a heart attack, but he wasn’t experiencing anything beyond the pain.

After 30 minutes of dealing with chest pain, he knew he was having an ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI.) He called his wife, Charlotte, who is also the patient safety director at TriStar Greenview, and told her he was going to the emergency department. 

As soon as Charlie arrived at TriStar Greenview, the care team sprang into action. He was quickly taken to a room where an EKG was completed and analyzed within 10 minutes of his arrival. The ER physician confirmed that he was indeed having a heart attack, calling a code STEMI to mobilize the cardiac Cath lab team and other vital personnel. 

“I called my wife and told her it was a STEMI. I reassured her I was feeling alright because I knew I was in good hands,” said Charlie. Within 30 minutes of his arrival, Dr. Mathew and the cardiac Cath lab team at TriStar Greenview had Charlie prepped and ready for the procedure. The team delivered an impressive door-to-balloon time of just 58 minutes! The national care goal is 90 minutes.

Cheryl Saltsman, the clinical nurse coordinator for the Cath lab, has an office next door to Charlie’s wife, Charlotte. Cheryl contacted Charlotte and told her, “We’ve got him, don’t worry.” Charlotte was out of town during Charlie’s heart attack, and although she was concerned about being away from her husband during a time of distress, she was comforted by knowing he was receiving the proper care from a team she trusted. 

“We couldn’t be happier with the outcome,” said Charlie and Charlotte. “We wouldn’t have gone anywhere else.” 

Today, Charlie is doing well and is back to his regular routine. During American Heart Month, he encourages everyone to visit their physician yearly, stay up to date with routine screenings and pay attention to anything that seems abnormal.

He appreciates the phenomenal care he received from TriStar Greenview’s emergency department, the cardiac Cath lab team and everyone who treated him like family.