Heart Attack Care Recognized at Barnes-Jewish Hospital
St. Louis (PRWEB) July 02, 2014 -- Barnes-Jewish Hospital, consistently ranked as one of the nation’s best hospitals and heart and vascular centers, was recently honored with two prestigious awards: the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Foundation’s NDCR ACTION Registry®–Get With the Guidelines™ (GWTG) Platinum Performance Achievement Award and the American Heart Association’s (AHA) 2014 Resuscitation Quality Achievement Award.
The ACC’s ACTION Registry GWTG Platinum Performance Achievement Award recognizes a commitment to and the success of Barnes-Jewish and its physician partners at Washington University School of Medicine applying a higher standard of care for heart attack patients, and it signifies the hospital has its aggressive goal of treating these patients at the level of care outlined by ACC/AHA clinical guidelines and recommendations.
The AHA Resuscitation Quality Achievement Award recognizes Barnes-Jewish for sustaining an 85 percent or higher rate for quality measures in patients needing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS).
In addition, Barnes-Jewish is the only hospital in St. Louis or Missouri to sustain a 100 percent compliance rate over four years for intervention occurring less than 90 minutes after patients suffering a STEMI (ST Elevation Acute Myocardial Infarction), the deadliest type of heart attack, arrive at the emergency department. Hospital Compare, a consumer-oriented website created by Medicare and the Hospital Quality Alliance, measures hospital performance in areas such as STEMI emergency care. Barnes-Jewish Hospital’s average “door-to-balloon” time for emergency angioplasty is 60 minutes, significantly lower than the national goal of 90 minutes.
“These achievements highlight the effectiveness of our treatment procedure and the outstanding teamwork in place that allows us to quickly respond to patients suffering from a serious heart event and need life-saving care,” said Douglas Mann, MD, cardiologist-in-chief at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and the director of the Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Heart & Vascular Center.
“We know that every second counts for patients, and the faster we can open an artery, the more heart muscle we can save,” said Richard Bach, MD, Washington University cardiologist and director of the cardiac intensive care unit at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. “Our goal is to provide the very best patient care possible in a consistent and timely manner.”
The Heart & Vascular Center takes a team approach to treating STEMI that involves all levels of cardiac care, including emergency department staff and St. Louis emergency medical services (EMS). Their response approach to emergent patient care is designed for maximum speed and minimum delay.
“We’re able to receive EKG results directly from the EMS team in the field, so we’re better prepared to provide specialized treatment to patients as soon as they come through the emergency room door,” said Brent Ruoff, MD, chief of the Division of Emergency Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital. “Our outstanding multidisciplinary care means patients at Barnes-Jewish Hospital receive immediate intervention—and that can mean the difference between life and death.”
About Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Barnes-Jewish Hospital is a 1,315 bed teaching hospital affiliated with Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo. The hospital has a 1,763 member medical staff, with many recognized as "Best Doctors in America." Barnes-Jewish is a member of BJC HealthCare, which provides a full range of health care services through its 13 hospitals and more than 100 health care sites in Missouri and Illinois. Barnes-Jewish Hospital is also consistently ranked on the elite honor roll as one of America’s “Best Hospitals” by U.S. News & World Report.
Anne Bassett, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, http://www.barnesjewish.org/, +1 (314) 286-0051, [email protected]
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