The American Heart Association awarded Columbus Regional Health with a Mission: Lifeline Receiving Center Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award 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 most deadly 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.

Columbus Regional Health earned the award by meeting specific criteria and standards of performance, such as a door-to-device time of less than 90 minutes, for the quick and appropriate treatment of STEMI patients by providing emergency procedures to re-establish blood flow to blocked arteries when needed. Eligible hospitals must adhere to these measures at a set level for a designated period to receive the awards.

In addition, the Gold-Plus level recognition with Columbus Regional Health received, recognizes that the hospital not only reached an achievement score of 75 percent or greater on all Mission: Lifeline Receiving Center Quality Measures, but also for achieving at least a 75 percent achievement on door-to-device time under 120 minutes  for STEMI transfer patients from other facilities.

Learn more about Emergency Services and our Heart & Vascular Center on the Columbus Regional Health web site.