Rome Health has received the Mission: Lifeline® Gold Plus Referring Quality Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association for the treatment of patients who suffer severe heart attacks. This is the third year in a row that the hospital has been recognized by the AHA for saving lives.
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.
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, to EMS transport and continuing through hospital treatment and discharge. The initiative provides tools, training and other resources to support heart attack care following protocols from the most recent evidence-based treatment guidelines.
Rome Health earned the award by meeting specific criteria and standards of performance for quick and appropriate treatment through emergency procedures to re-establish blood flow to blocked arteries in heart attack patients coming into the hospital directly or by transfer from another facility.
“Rome Health is dedicated to providing optimal care for heart attack patients,” said Cardiologist and Chief Medical Officer Russell Silverman, M.D. “We are pleased to be recognized for our dedication and achievements in cardiac care through Mission: Lifeline.”
“Every moment is vital in the event of a heart attack. Our team in the Emergency Department is trained to recognize the signs of a heart attack and implement the standards quickly,” said Andrew Bushnell, M.D., medical director of emergency services. “Our collaboration with EMS providers and other area hospitals ensures that every step of the transfer process is done as efficiently as possible to save lives.”
“We commend Rome Health Hospital for this award in recognition for following evidence-based guidelines for timely heart attack treatment,” said Tim Henry, M.D., Chair of the Mission: Lifeline Acute Coronary Syndrome Subcommittee. “We applaud the significant institutional commitment to their critical role in the system of care for quickly and appropriately treating heart attack patients.”
About Rome Health
Rome Health Hospital, Inc., (RHH) Rome Health Hospital is a non-profit health care system based in Rome, N.Y., providing services to patients throughout Central New York. From primary care to long-term care, Rome Health Hospital delivers quality, compassionate medical care for every stage of life. With its specialized Senior Behavioral Health Unit and Residential Health Care Facility, the hospital has become recognized as a valuable resource for senior services. Ranked among the top 20 percent of skilled nursing facilities for five consecutive years, the hospital has earned special designation as a NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders) facility for providing quality care for older adult patients. Rome Health Hospital is an affiliate of St. Joseph’s Health and an affiliated clinical site of New York Medical College.
About Mission: Lifeline
The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program helps hospitals and emergency medical services develop systems of care that follow proven standards and procedures for STEMI patients. The program works by mobilizing teams across the continuum of care to implement American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Foundation clinical treatment guidelines. For more information, visit heart.org.
