FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Corporate Marketing and Public Relations Department
Chester County Hospital
606 East Marshall Street, Suite 203
West Chester, PA 19380
cch@uphs.upenn.edu
(West Chester, PA) – Chester County Hospital 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.
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.
Chester County Hospital 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.
"Chester County Hospital is dedicated to providing optimal care for heart attack patients," said Ralph Smith, BSN, RN, CCCC, AACC, Cardiovascular Registry and Accreditation Manager at Chester County Hospital. "We are pleased to be recognized for our dedication and achievements in cardiac care through Mission: Lifeline."
"We commend Chester County 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."
Ralph Smith (center) and the Chest Pain Committee accept the
AHA's Mission: Lifeline® Gold Receiving Quality Achievement Award.
###
About Chester County Hospital
Founded in 1892 as the county's first hospital, the non-profit has grown into a 248-bed acute-care inpatient facility in West Chester, PA. It also has outpatient services in Exton, PA; West Goshen, PA; New Garden, PA; West Grove, PA: Jennersville, PA and Kennett Square, PA. In 2013, Chester County Hospital became part of Penn Medicine, which is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to medical education, biomedical research, and excellent patient care. In addition to quality-driven medical and surgical services, Chester County Hospital also offers home health, inpatient hospice and skilled nursing care; occupational medicine; outpatient laboratory, radiology and physical therapy services; wound care; cardiopulmonary rehab; and a prenatal clinic for the under-served. In 2020, Chester County Hospital will complete the largest expansion in its history. The project will welcome a state-of-the-art procedural platform with 15 operating room suites, a 99-bed patient tower, a new main entrance and an expanded and renovated Emergency Department. Learn More! >>
Related Chest Pain Information from Chester County Hospital: