Atrium Medical Center Receives Award from American Heart Association

Atrium Medical Center has received the Mission: Lifeline® Gold Receiving Plus Quality Achievement Award for continuing to implement the highest level of quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association for the treatment of patients who suffer severe heart attacks.

“Atrium Medical Center has an established record of providing the highest level of care for heart attack patients in our community who come in directly or by transfer from another facility,” said Mouhamad Abdallah, MD, medical director of Atrium’s Chest Pain Center and medical director of Atrium’s cardiac catheterization lab. “We take pride in our commitment to save lives through cardiac care and are honored that our dedication has again been recognized at the highest level by the American Heart Association through Mission: Lifeline.”

Atrium is one of two hospitals in the Cincinnati market – and one of only three in the state of Ohio – to receive the Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. Gold Plus is the association’s highest honor for facilities that receive severe heart attack patients. Nationwide, only 66 hospitals received the Gold Plus Award, according to the heart association.

This award recognizes Atrium for meeting specific criteria and performance standards outlined by the American Heart Association for quick and appropriate treatment of ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) – the deadliest type of heart attack, caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart. To prevent death, Atrium staff work diligently to perform timely emergency procedures that re-establish blood flow as quickly as possible, either by mechanically opening the blocked vessel or by providing clot-busting medication.

“We commend Atrium Medical Center for this award in recognition for following evidence-based guidelines for timely heart attack treatment,” said Tim Henry, MD, chair of the Mission: Lifeline Acute Coronary Syndrome Subcommittee. “We applaud the significant institutional commitment to their critical role in the system of care for quickly and appropriately treating heart attack patients.”

The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program’s goal is to reduce system barriers to prompt treatment for heart attacks, beginning with the 9-1-1 call, to EMS transport and continuing through hospital treatment and discharge. The initiative provides tools, training, and other resources to support heart attack care following protocols from the most recent evidence-based treatment guidelines.

Back to the September 2019 issue of Premier Pulse