AUSTIN, TEXAS— Several St. David’s HealthCare facilities have received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Mission: Lifeline® and Get With The Guidelines® achievement awards for demonstrating commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease and stroke, ultimately leading to more lives saved and fewer readmissions to the hospital.
Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke or heart attack. Heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 5 causes of death in the U.S., respectively. Studies show patients can recover better when providers consistently follow treatment guidelines.
“The Mission: Lifeline and Get With The Guidelines programs make it easier to streamline processes, ensure timely and consistent care, and improve patient outcomes,” Kenneth Mitchell, M.D., chief medical officer for St. David’s HealthCare, said. “These awards recognize our care team’s commitment to quick action when a heart attack or stroke patient enters a St. David’s hospital.”
Mission Lifeline
This year, St. David’s Medical Center, St. David’s North Austin Medical Center, St. David’s South Austin Medical Center and St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center received the Mission: Lifeline STEMI Receiving Gold Plus award for the treatment of ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) heart attack patients. A STEMI is caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart, and it 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.
St. David’s Medical Center, St. David’s North Austin Medical Center, St. David’s South Austin Medical Center, St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center and Heart Hospital of Austin received the Mission: Lifeline NSTEMI Gold award for the treatment of non-STEMI heart attack patients.
Get With The Guidelines
This year, St. David’s Medical Center, St. David’s North Austin Medical Center, St. David’s South Austin Medical Center and St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center received the Get With The Guidelines - Stroke Gold Plus award for their commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines. These hospitals also received the Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award by ensuring 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 stroke.
In addition, St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center received the Target: StrokeSM Elite Plus award, and St. David’s Medical Center, St. David’s North Austin Medical Center, as well as St. David’s South Austin Medical Center, received the Target: StrokeSM Elite award. To qualify, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster alteplase.
St. David’s Medical Center also received the Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll Advanced Therapy award by meeting specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment to remove the clot causing the stroke.