3 min readMar 15, 2026 10:34 PM IST
The PGIMER, Chandigarh, has announced the start of a dedicated Cardiac Emergency facility from March 1 to address a critical gap that has been felt since the establishment of the Advanced Cardiac Centre in 2009. Prof Vivek Lal, director, PGI, said that in a high-volume tertiary care institute like PGI, managing acute cardiac cases within the general emergency system was increasingly challenging, and it was important to create a focused pathway exclusively for cardiac emergencies. Patients are managed through the main emergency wing, which caters to a massive influx of trauma, medical, surgical and critically ill cases from across the region, with time-sensitive cardiac cases often functioning within a crowded system, underscoring the urgency for a structured, specialised response. The integrated framework, added Prof Lal, is designed to minimise delays and enhance accountability in emergency cardiac care. It is expected to decongest the main emergency wing, improve overall patient flow, reduce stress for both patients and attendants, and build responsiveness into the emergency care framework.
Following the decision, an official letter from the Department of Cardiology to Prof Vivek Lal on March 9 has clarified that in reference to the cardiac emergency services at Advanced Cardiac Centre, patients reporting to Nehru Hospital Emergency will be first seen by a Senior Resident Cardiology (on call) at Nehru Hospital and with his consultation only the patient will be transferred to Heart Command / CCU, Advanced Cardiac Centre, ACC. The department has requested that no patient should be transferred to Heart Command directly from the emergency OPD without taking consultation with SR Cardiology (on call).
In response to the letter, the PGIMER, in an official statement, stated that the newly initiated Cardiac Emergency is an additional service and not a replacement for the existing emergency services. While a dedicated Cardiac Emergency has been established, cardiology services will continue to be available at the Main Emergency as well. Patients who report directly to the Main Emergency will first be assessed by the Senior Resident (SR) from the Department of Cardiology. Based on the clinical evaluation, those found to have cardiac-related conditions will be shifted to and managed in the Cardiac Emergency.
Similarly, patients reporting to the Cardiac Emergency who are assessed and found not to have cardiac issues will be transferred to the Main Emergency for further evaluation and management by the relevant specialities. This system, adds the statement, ensures prompt triaging, specialised cardiac care, and optimal utilisation of emergency services, while maintaining seamless and comprehensive care for all patients presenting to PGI.
