SSM Heart Institute congratulates and recognizes all SSM cardiac cath labs, emergency departments and cardiologists for the exceptional heart attack care they provided our patients in 2011. As a network, our adult hospitals achieved perfect “door-to-balloon” heart attack care last year. This means every qualified (based on national guidelines) heart attack patient had his or her blocked arteries opened with balloon angioplasty in less than 90 minutes from time of arrival. In fact, our average door-to-balloon time for the network is just 57 minutes.
This exceptional achievement is possible because of the great work our teams have done to implement best care practices, as well as their effective coordination with each other as and our emergency medical services (EMS) partners. Because every minute counts in a heart attack, they have worked hard to speed up care and remove any unnecessary steps. In some cases, ambulance teams deliver the patient directly to the cath lab, bypassing the ER and saving time. Once the patient is in the hospital, our physicians and nurses work quickly and efficiently to achieve the best possible outcome.
SSM Heart Institute is committed to continuing this high level of heart attack care in 2012.