Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center (EMRMC) has received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain  ̶  MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2024. EMRMC is one of only 259 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.

The award recognizes EMRMC’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients and signifies that EMRMC has reached an aggressive goal of treating these patients to standard levels of care as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.

To receive the Chest Pain  ̶  MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award, EMRMC has demonstrated sustained achievement in the Chest Pain  ̶ MI Registry for two consecutive years (2022 and 2023), and performed at the highest level for specific performance measures. Full participation in the registry engages hospitals in a robust quality improvement process using data to drive improvements in adherence to guideline recommendations and overall quality of care provided to heart attack patients.

“It is an honor to award EMRMC 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 EMRMC remains committed to providing top quality, guideline-driven care for heart attack patients. Their success ensures patients are receiving the highest quality cardiovascular care.”

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that over 800,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. 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.

“Receiving the Chest Pain Award confirms our commitment to delivering exceptional care for heart attack patients in our communities,” says Dan McKay, president and CEO of Ephraim McDowell Health. “Our team of Associates and physicians collaborates tirelessly to ensure the highest standards of patient care.”

“EMRMC’s achievement of the NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award underscores our unwavering commitment to excellence in cardiovascular care,” says Dr. Gary Grigsby, cardiologist at Ephraim McDowell Heart & Vascular Institute. “This recognition reflects our dedication to adhering to the highest standards of clinical practice and ensuring optimal outcomes for our patients.”

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 is the global leader in transforming cardiovascular care and improving heart health for all. As the preeminent source of professional medical education for the entire cardiovascular care team since 1949, ACC credentials cardiovascular professionals in over 140 countries who meet stringent qualifications and leads in the formation of health policy, standards and guidelines.