OFALLON - HSHS St. Elizabeth’s has received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain - MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2020. St. Elizabeth’s is one of only 140 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.
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The award recognizes St. Elizabeth’s and Prairie Heart Institute of Illinois’ commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients and signifies that they have reached an aggressive goal of treating these patients to standard levels of care as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.
A heart attack can happen at any time, in any place and to anyone – even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Center for Disease Control estimates that almost 700,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year.
“Acting fast when chest pain occurs is the critical first step to receiving the timely, life-saving care we can provide. No one should delay care when time is heart muscle,” says Bonnie Schnieder, MS RT, director of cardiovascular services at St. Elizabeth’s. “This recognition highlights our highly-skilled, compassionate providers who consistently treat heart attack patients according to the most current, science-based guidelines national standards.”
To receive the Chest Pain - MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital has demonstrated sustained achievement in the Chest Pain - MI Registry for two consecutive years (2018 and 2019) and performed at the highest level for specific performance measures. Full participation in the registry engages hospitals in a robust quality improvement process using data to drive improvements in adherence to guideline recommendations and overall quality of care provided to heart attack patients.
A heart attack occurs when a blood clot in a coronary artery partially or completely blocks blood flow to the heart muscle. Treatment guidelines include administering aspirin upon arrival and discharge, timely restoration of blood flow to the blocked artery, smoking cessation counseling and cardiac rehabilitation, among others.
Signs and symptoms of a heart attack include:
- Pressure, burning, squeezing in the center of the chest
- Discomfort in one or both arms, shoulders, neck, jaw, stomach or back
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Cold sweat
- Nausea or vomiting
- Weakness
- Light headedness
Schnieder reminds the public to always dial 9-1-1 if you think you are having a heart attack. “By dialing 911, you can begin to receive diagnosis and treatment while traveling to the hospital and our partnering EMS teams can ensure we are informed of your specific condition and ready for your arrival.”
“As a Platinum Performance Award recipient, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital has established itself as a leader in setting the national standard for improving quality of care in patients with acute myocardial infarction,” said Michael C. Kontos, MD, FACC, chair of the NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Steering Subcommittee, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. “By meeting the award requirements set forth in the registry, St. Elizabeth’s has demonstrated a commitment to providing reliable, comprehensive treatment for heart attack patients based on current clinical guideline recommendations.”
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