Three Northwest Indiana Franciscan Health hospitals were reaccredited by the American College of Cardiology.

Franciscan Health Crown Point, Franciscan Health Dyer and Franciscan Health Michigan City each were designated chest pain centers with a primary percutaneous coronary intervention, or coronary angioplasty, as an expertise.

“Patients experiencing chest pain in Northwest Indiana have the choice of the highly accredited care teams at Franciscan Health Crown Point, Dyer and Michigan City,” said Franciscan Health Dyer and Michigan City President and CEO Dean Mazzoni in a press release. “These professionals have again been recognized for their commitment to providing the highest level of care possible and we thank them for their efforts.”

Dr. Deepak Bhatt, chair of the ACC Accreditation Management Board, said the hospitals earned the designation for their commitment to “excellent heart care.”

The designation is based on onsite evaluations of staff and their ability to diagnose and treat patients who are having heart attacks.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 730,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. The most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. Other symptoms include tingling or discomfort in the back, shoulder, neck, jaw and one or both arms; shortness of breath; cold sweats; unusual tiredness; a heartburn-like feeling; nausea or vomiting; sudden dizziness or fainting.