St. Peter’s Hospital, an affiliate of St. Peter’s Health Partners (SPHP), has received the Mission: Lifeline Bronze Receiving Quality Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association (AHA) for the treatment of patients who suffer severe heart attacks.
Every year, more than 250,000 people experience an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the most deadly type of heart attack caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. To prevent death, it is critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, either by mechanically opening the blocked vessel or by providing clot-busting medication.
The goal of AHA’s Mission: Lifeline program is to reduce system barriers to prompt treatment for heart attacks, beginning with the 9-1-1 call, and continuing through hospital treatment.
“Every day, our goal is to provide the highest quality and most compassionate care to our patients, so we are pleased the American Heart Association has recognized St. Peter’s Hospital with a Mission: Lifeline award for our care of patients who have suffered severe heart attacks,” said Virginia Golden, chief executive officer of St. Peter’s Hospital and Albany Memorial Hospital. “Congratulations and many thanks are due to the physicians, nurses, and staff at St. Peter’s Hospital whose talent, dedication, and diligence resulted in this award.”
St. Peter’s Hospital earned the award by meeting specific criteria and standards of performance for the quick and appropriate treatment of STEMI patients by providing emergency procedures to re-establish blood flow to blocked arteries when needed. Eligible hospitals must adhere to these measures at a set level for at least one consecutive 90-day interval.
“We are proud to receive a Mission: Lifeline Bronze Receiving Quality Achievement Award from the American Heart Association,” said Dorothy Urschel, MS, ACNP-C, MBA, NEA-BC, vice president of the Cardiac & Vascular service line at SPHP. “This award is the latest of several recognitions over the past year that showcase our team’s commitment to following the latest research-based standards for cardiac patient care.”
James G. Jollis, M.D., chair of the Mission: Lifeline Advisory Working Group, commended St. Peter’s Hospital for the achievement, which he said reflects a significant institutional commitment to the highest quality of care for their heart attack patients.
“Achieving this award means the hospital has met specific reporting and achievement measures for the treatment of their patients who suffer heart attacks, and we applaud them for their commitment to quality and timely care,” Jollis said.
The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program helps hospitals and emergency medical services develop systems of care that follow proven standards and procedures for STEMI patients. The program works by mobilizing teams across the continuum of care to implement American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Foundation clinical treatment guidelines. For more information, please visit www.heart.org.
