McLeod is among the nation’s top-performing hospitals for treatment of heart attack patients
Staffers at McLeod Regional Medical Center receive the American College of Cardiology’s National Cardiovascular Data Registry Chest Pain/MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2022. McLeod is one of only 240 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
With a heart attack, time is of the essence. It is important that chest pain always be taken seriously.
Most of the damage from a heart attack occurs in the first several hours. Therefore, the earlier you get to the hospital, the better chance you have of surviving a heart attack with less muscle damage.
Anyone who believes they may be experiencing any of the signs of a heart attack — pain in the chest, shortness of breath, and a recurrent discomfort that feels like indigestion – should not ignore the pain. Call 911 and if you are able, take an aspirin. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) staff will begin treatment when they arrive at your location and continue care on the way to the hospital.
McLeod Regional Medical Center has received the American College of Cardiology’s National Cardiovascular Data Registry Chest Pain/MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2022. McLeod is one of only 240 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.
The award recognizes the commitment and success of McLeod in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients. It also signifies that McLeod not only reaches but maintains 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.
To receive the Chest Pain/MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award, McLeod has demonstrated sustained achievement in the Chest Pain/MI Registry 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. McLeod has achieved Platinum Performance for five consecutive years.
“It is an honor to award McLeod Regional Medical Center with the Platinum Performance Award for their valuable national leadership and dedication to meeting comprehensive performance measures in patient care,” said Michael C. Kontos, MD, FACC, chair of the NCDR Chest Pain/MI Registry Steering Subcommittee, and cardiologist at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center.
“The receipt of this award indicates that McLeod remains committed to providing top quality, guideline-driven care for heart attack patients. Their success ensures patients are receiving the highest quality cardiovascular care.”
The Centers for Disease Control estimates that over 800,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. 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.
“I would like to thank the physicians and staff of the departments responsible for the care of these patients,” said Dr. Alan Blaker, Executive Medical Director, McLeod Heart and Vascular Institute. “It is through their hard work and dedication that patients receive such excellent care. They are key to us achieving this award and I thank everyone for their important work.”
Chest Pain/MI Registry empowers health care provider teams to consistently treat heart attack patients according to the most current, science-based guidelines and establishes a national standard for understanding and improving the quality, safety and outcomes of care provided for patients with coronary artery disease, specifically high-risk heart attack patients.
“In the United States someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds according to the Center for Disease Control,” said Blaker. “This is why, as an accredited Chest Pain Center, the outstanding care McLeod provides heart attack patients is so important.
“Hospitals that are Chest Pain accredited emphasize the importance of standardized diagnostic studies, effective evaluations and rapid treatment for all patients with chest pain and other heart attack symptoms,” added Blaker.
As an accredited center, McLeod is recognized for having a higher level of expertise in caring for patients who arrive in the Emergency Department with heart attack symptoms. It also ensures that, as new research becomes available, we continue to operate at the highest level, with best practices, to care for cardiac patients.
Chest Pain Accredited Hospitals utilize standard diagnostic studies, effective evaluations and rapid treatment for all patients with chest pain and other heart attack symptoms. The McLeod Chest Pain Center also serves as a point of entry into the healthcare system to evaluate and treat other medical conditions, helping promote a healthier lifestyle to reduce the risk factors for heart attack.
