St. Anthony Hospital Qualifies for American Heart Associations Mission: Lifeline Recognition for Heart Attack Care

July 4, 2011

Each year, almost 250,000 people experience the STEMI type of heart attack. Unfortunately, a significant number dont received prompt reperfusion therapy, which is critical in restoring blood flow. Mission: Lifeline seeks to save lives by closing the gaps that separate STEMI patients from timely access to appropriate treatments. Mission: Lifeline is focusing on improving the system of care for these patients and at the same time improving care for all heart attack patients.

Hospitals involved in Mission: Lifeline strive to improve care in both acute treatment measures and discharge measures. Systems of care are developed that close the gap of timely access to appropriate, life-saving treatments. Before they are discharged, appropriate patients are started on aggressive risk reduction therapies such as cholesterol-lowering drugs, aspirin, ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers in the hospital and receive smoking cessation counseling.

Hospitals that receive the Mission: Lifeline Silver performance Achievement Award have demonstrated for 12 consecutive months that at least 85 percent of eligible STEMI patients (without contraindications) are treated within specific time frames upon entering the hospital and discharged following the American heart Associations recommended treatment guidelines.

Before they are discharged, appropriate patients are started on aggressive risk reduction therapies such as cholesterol-lowering drugs, aspirin, ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers. They also receive smoking cessation counseling and referrals with our Cardiac Rehab team.

St. Anthony Hospital is dedicated to making our cardiac unit among the best in the country, and the American Heart Associations Mission: Lifeline program is helping us accomplish that by making it easier for our professionals to improve the outcomes of our cardiac patient," said Raymond A. Mencini, MD, interim CEO & President. We are pleased to be recognized for our dedication and achievements in cardiac care.

St. Anthony Hospital, recently relocated to Lakewood, Colorado from its 119-year-old location near Sloans Lake, is nationally recognized for its renowned programs in trauma, cardiovascular services, oncology, neurosciences and orthopedics and is part of Centura Health, Colorados largest hospital and health care network. For more information on St. Anthony Hospital, please visit www.stanthonyhosp.orgor follow the hospital via Twitters @STAHospital and www.Facebook.com/StAHospital.