Contact: Dawn O'Polka 509-837-1543
Yakima, WA (July 3, 2018) — Astria Regional Medical Center and Astria Heart Institute have received the ACTION Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award from The American College of Cardiology for 2018. Astria Regional Medical Center and Astria Heart Institute are one of only 203 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor and is tangible evidence of their hard work and commitment to delivering the highest quality in cardiovascular care to transform heart health in Central Washington.
“We are proud to have been listed among the best hospitals in America for the care of patients presenting chest pain or experiencing a heart attack. The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) are recognized internationally as leaders in cardiovascular patient care and research. Accreditation by these organizations requires a well-designed, high-quality hospital care process to rapidly identify and treat patients with coronary heart disease,” said Dr. Bradley Titus, Medical Director for the Astria Heart Institute Chest Pain Center and Interventional Cardiologist. “This process originates from evidence-based research and the nationally recognized ACC/AHA guidelines in order to provide the highest quality standard of cardiac care.”
“This award recognizes Astria Regional Medical Center and Astria Heart Institute’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients and signifies that they have reached an aggressive goal of treating these patients to standard levels of care as outlined by the ACC/AHA clinical guidelines and recommendations. I am proud of the hard work and dedication our team has made to our cardiac program. Our goal is always to achieve the highest level of excellence, this is another great example of that commitment,” said Rich Robinson, CEO Astria Regional Medical Center and Astria Heart Institute.
To receive the ACTION Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award, Astria Regional Medical Center and Astria Heart Institute have demonstrated sustained achievement in the ACTION Registry for eight consecutive quarters and has performed at the top level of standards 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.
“As a Platinum Performance Award recipient, Astria Regional Medical Center and Astria Heart Institute have shown to be a leader in implementing standards of care and protocols for its patients,” said Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, FACC, Chair, ACTION Registry. “By meeting the requirements set forth in the registry and establishing a culture of providing guideline-recommended therapy, Astria Regional Medical Center and Astria Heart Institute are saving lives and improving outcomes of heart attack patients.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that over 700,000 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.
John Gallagher, President and Chief Executive Officer of Astria Health said, “Astria Regional Medical Center and Astria Heart Institute continue to be the leader in the treatment of heart related medical issues in the Yakima Valley. From emergent situations that require our highly skilled teams in the Emergency Department to open heart surgery and all areas of care in between, this recognition signifies our commitment to a higher standard of care for heart attack patients.”
“To be one of only 203 hospitals to receive the Platinum Performance Achievement Award by the American College of Cardiology is a reflection of the exceptional team of physicians and staff committed to consistent, high quality processes across the continuum of care. The Accreditation demonstrates reduced variations in patient care and lower lengths of stay while decreasing readmission rates while maintaining systematic process improvements and maximizing patient satisfaction,” said Gallagher.
ACTION 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.
Posted July 17, 2018