OSF Saint Francis Receives Two National Awards for Quality Heart Attack Care

OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center OSF Saint Francis Medical Center has received two American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s (AHA/ASA) 2017 Mission: Lifeline® Awards for its treatment of patients who suffer severe heart attacks: Silver NSTEMI Recognition and Gold Plus STEMI Recognition.

Both were awarded to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center for its implementation of specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association.

ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) and Non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) are types of heart attack. A STEMI is caused by a sudden complete blockage of a heart artery. A non-STEMI is usually caused by a severely narrowed artery but the artery is usually not completely blocked.

OSF Saint Francis earned the NSTEMI Silver Quality Achievement Award by meeting specific criteria for the quick and appropriate treatment of NSTEMI patients by providing emergency procedures to re-establish blood flow to blocked arteries when needed. Eligible hospitals must have adhered to these measures for 12 consecutive months to receive this award.

The Mission: Lifeline’s Gold-Plus award, meanwhile, recognizes the medical center has not only reached an achievement score of 75 percent or greater on all Mission: Lifeline Receiving Center Quality Measures, but also for achieving at least a 75 percent achievement on First Door to Device time under 120 minutes for STEMI transfer patients from other facilities.

Every year, more than 250,000 people experience an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) the deadliest type of heart attack 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.

“OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center is dedicated to be continually improving the quality of care for our patients who suffer a heart attack. We work closely with the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program, which sets national guidelines and goals.” said Dr. Darrel Gumm, Interventional Cardiologist, OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular Institute. “We are delighted to once again be recognized for our dedication and achievements in cardiac care. I am extremely proud of our team.”

“We commend OSF Saint Francis for this achievement award, which reflects a significant institutional commitment to the highest quality of care for their heart attack patients,” said James G. Jollis, MD, Chair of the Mission: Lifeline Advisory Working Group.

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 and continuing through hospital treatment.