Altru Among Nation’s Top Performing Hospitals for Treatment of Heart Attack Patients

Altru has received the American College of Cardiology’s Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2022. Altru is one of only 240 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.

“This achievement highlights Altru's sustained commitment to providing the highest level of care for our heart attack patients. Participation in the Chest Pain-MI registry demonstrates that Altru continues to meet nationally recognized guidelines and metrics, as well as participate in continuous quality improvement. It is a testament to the providers at Altru and reflects the combined efforts of the Emergency Department staff and physicians, EMTs, RNs, CV techs, NPs, PAs and cardiologists,” explained Dr. Jason Go, interventional cardiologist at Altru. “At Altru, we strive to adhere to the latest evidenced-based care and science-driven guidelines to provide the best outcome possible for our patients in the region.”

To receive this award, Altru has demonstrated sustained achievement in the Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry for two consecutive years (2020 and 2021) 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 guideline recommendations for heart attack patients and overall quality of care.

“It is an honor to award Altru 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 Altru 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 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.

About the American College of Cardiology
The American College of Cardiology envisions a world where innovation and knowledge optimize cardiovascular care and outcomes. As the professional home for the entire cardiovascular care team, the mission of the College and its more than 56,000 members is to transform cardiovascular care and to improve heart health. The ACC bestows credentials upon cardiovascular professionals who meet stringent qualifications and leads in the formation of health policy, standards and guidelines. The College also provides professional medical education, disseminates cardiovascular research through its world-renowned JACC Journals, operates national registries to measure and improve care, and offers cardiovascular accreditation to hospitals and institutions.