INDIANAPOLIS,
Indiana – Franciscan St. Francis Health-Indianapolis has received the Mission:
Lifeline® Gold-Plus Award for surpassing quality measures in the
treatment of patients who suffer severe heart attacks.
The recognition
comes from the American Heart Association, which also named the hospital as a
recipient of the Mission: Lifeline Gold Receiving Quality
Achievement Award.
The Gold-Plus award means the hospital has not only surpassed an achievement score on all Lifeline quality measures, but has also achieved at least a 75 percent on “First Door to Device” (duration of time from a patient’s arrival at the hospital to the activation of cardiac device) of under 120 minutes for an ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) transfer patients from other facilities.
“Our clinicians and support staff are
dedicated to improving the quality of care for our patients who suffer a heart
attack, and the Lifeline program is helping us accomplish that goal through
nationally respected clinical guidelines,” said William J. Berg, MD, medical director of the hospital’s Heart
Center and Catheterization
Lab.
“We are pleased to be recognized for our dedication and achievements in heart
care, and I am very proud of our team.”
Every year, more than 250,000 people experience an
STEMI, the most deadly type of heart attack, which is caused by a blockage of
blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. To prevent death, it’s
critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, either by mechanically
opening the blocked vessel or by providing clot-busting medication.
The Indianapolis hospital earned the award by meeting
specific criteria and standards of performance for the quick and appropriate
treatment of STEMI patients by providing emergency procedures to re-establish
blood flow to blocked arteries when needed. Eligible hospitals must adhere to
these measures at a set level for a designated period to receive the awards.
