Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center Honored with Mission: Lifeline Achievement Award

PRESS RELEASE

ALBUQUERQUE, JUNE 30, 2015 — Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center has received the Mission: Lifeline Gold Receiving 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.

Each year in the United States, approximately 250,000 people have a STEMI, or ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, caused by a complete blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. To prevent death, it’s critical to immediately restore blood flow, either by surgically opening the blocked vessel or by giving 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 and continuing through hospital treatment.

“Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center is dedicated to improving the quality of care for our patients who suffer a heart attack, and the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program is helping us accomplish that goal through nationally respected clinical guidelines,” said Lovelace Medical Center CEO Troy Greer. “We are pleased to be recognized for our dedication and achievements in cardiac care, and I am very proud of our team.”

In addition to receiving the Mission: Lifeline Gold Receiving award, Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center has also been recognized as a recipient of Mission: Lifeline’s Gold-Plus award, which recognizes the hospital has reached an achievement score of 75 percent or greater for treating STEMI transfer patients within 120 minutes. As of June 2015, Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center was the only hospital in New Mexico to receive the Gold Plus level of recognition in Mission: Lifeline.

“We commend Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center 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 and President of the North Carolina Chapter of the American College of Cardiology. “Achieving this award means the hospital has met specific reporting and achievement measures for the treatment of their patients who suffer heart attacks and we applaud them for their commitment to quality and timely care.”

Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center earned the award by meeting specific criteria and standards of performance for the quick and appropriate treatment of STEMI patients by providing emergency procedures to re-establish blood flow to blocked arteries when needed. Eligible hospitals must adhere to these measures at a set level for a designated period to receive the awards.

In addition, Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center is the only accredited Chest Pain Center in Albuquerque, as recognized through the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care.