Parkland nationally recognized for commitment to quality care for heart attacks
The American Heart Association presents the Get With The Guidelines® - Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Receiving Center award for implementation of quality treatment, care coordination for heart attack patients
Parkland Health has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Receiving Center Gold recognition for its commitment to offering rapid, research-based care to people experiencing a specific type of heart attack known as an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), known to be more severe and dangerous than other types of heart attacks.
Each year, about 285,000 people in the U.S. experience this type of heart attack, caused by a complete blockage in a coronary artery. Nearly 40% of people who go to the emergency room with acute coronary syndrome are diagnosed with a STEMI. Like all heart attacks, this requires timely treatment to restore blood flow as quickly as possible.
Recognition as a STEMI Receiving Center is designed to showcase hospitals that provide 24/7 support for STEMI. These important facilities coordinate with a network of referring hospitals and emergency medical services to provide guideline-directed STEMI and NSTEMI care.
“Effective and timely care is crucial for patients experiencing a STEMI heart attack. The American Heart Association’s guidelines call for specific interventions for these patients both in-hospital and post-hospitalization,” said Abhinav Goyal, MD, MHS, FACC, FAHA, American Heart Association volunteer, professor in the Department of Cardiology at Emory School of Medicine with a joint appointment in the Department of Epidemiology and chief quality officer for the Emory Heart and Vascular Center. “Parkland is among the institutions recognized for their commitment to providing evidence-based STEMI treatment and care coordination, ensuring the best outcomes for these patients.”
The STEMI Receiving Center award is earned by hospitals that demonstrate a commitment to treating patients according to the most up-to-date research-based guidelines for STEMI care as outlined by the American Heart Association.
“Parkland is dedicated to improving the quality of heart care and the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines program helps us achieve that goal,” said Joseph Chang, MD, Parkland Health Chief Medical Officer. “The program puts proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis so patients have the best possible chance of survival.”
Parkland also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll award. Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to heart attack.
For more information about breastfeeding support services available at Parkland, visit www.parklandhealth.org.
Back