ST. LOUIS – With more than 800,000 Americans suffering from heart attacks each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it’s important to follow evidence-based care when medical attention is needed. In doing so, Mercy Hospital St. Louis recently received the platinum award from the American College of Cardiology for its high standard of care provided to heart attack patients, one of only 240 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.
To receive the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Platinum Achievement Award, Mercy St. Louis demonstrated sustained achievement in the Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry for two consecutive years (2020 and 2021), and performed at the highest level for specific performance measures. By participating in the registry, Mercy focuses on robust quality improvement process using data to drive improvements in adherence to guideline recommendations and overall quality of care provided to heart attack patients.
“This award makes it clear to patients that Mercy St. Louis is on top of the latest treatment protocols and guidelines when it comes to heart attacks,” said Dr. Anthony Sonn, interventional cardiologist and medical director of cardiac catheterization laboratory and interventional cardiology at Mercy Hospital St. Louis. “Our team works diligently to make sure each patient receives the best care and following the data helps us make that possible.”
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.
“It is an honor to award Mercy Hospital St. Louis 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 Mercy St. Louis remains committed to providing top quality, guideline-driven care for heart attack patients. Their success ensures patients are receiving the highest quality cardiovascular care.”
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.
The American College of Cardiology envisions a world where innovation and knowledge optimize cardiovascular care and outcomes. As the professional home for the entire cardiovascular care team, the mission of the College and its more than 56,000 members is to transform cardiovascular care and to improve heart health. The ACC bestows credentials upon cardiovascular professionals who meet stringent qualifications and leads in the formation of health policy, standards and guidelines. The College also provides professional medical education, disseminates cardiovascular research through its world-renowned JACC Journals, operates national registries to measure and improve care, and offers cardiovascular accreditation to hospitals and institutions. For more, visit acc.org.
