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

The award recognizes sustained, high-level performance in quality of care

August 28, 2024

HARRISBURG, Pa. – Five UPMC hospitals in central Pennsylvania have received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain ̶  MI Registry Performance Achievement Award for 2024. UPMC Hanover, UPMC Harrisburg, UPMC Memorial and UPMC West Shore received the Platinum Performance Achievement Award and are among only 259 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor. Meanwhile, UPMC Carlisle has received Silver Performance Achievement Award, one of only 80 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.

“This award recognizes UPMC’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for our heart attack patients”, said Michael Bosak, M.D. chair, Cardiovascular services, UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute in Central Pa. “Our entire team is committed to meet the needs of our patients through our experienced and highly skilled multidisciplinary team.”

The award signifies that the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute in Central Pa. has reached an aggressive goal of treating these patients to standard levels of care as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.

To receive the Chest Pain ̶  MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award, the hospitals have demonstrated sustained achievement in the Chest Pain  ̶  MI Registry for two consecutive years (2022 and 2023) and performed at the highest level for specific performance measures. UPMC Carlisle has demonstrated sustained achievement in the Chest Pain  ̶   MI Registry for four consecutive quarters during 2023 and performed with distinction in specific performance measures to receive the Chest Pain  ̶  MI Registry Silver Performance Achievement Award.

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.

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 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.

"We are honored to receive the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award again in 2024," said David Gibbons, senior vice president, Health Services Division and regional president, UPMC in Central Pa. Our team is committed to providing only the best world-class care to patients. This recognition is a testament to the dedication and excellence of our cardiologists, nurses, and technicians."

Chest Pain ̶  MI 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.

“It is an honor to award UPMC Hanover, UPMC Harrisburg, UPMC Memorial UPMC West Shore and UPMC Carlisle with the Platinum and Silver 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 that UPMC remains committed to providing top quality, guideline-driven care for heart attack patients. Their success ensures patients are receiving the highest quality cardiovascular care.”

Pioneers in cardiovascular health since 1956, doctors at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute in central Pennsylvania were the first in the region to perform open heart surgery and the first to perform coronary artery balloon angioplasty. Other firsts include the implantation of a drug-eluting coronary stent, percutaneous (minimally invasive) aortic valve procedures (TAVR) and the implantation of an FDA-approved percutaneous mitral valve repair device. UPMC’s vascular surgeons are experts at providing exceptional care through both vascular and endovascular techniques.

For more information or to schedule an appointment at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute, visit UPMC.com/CentralPaHeart.