American Heart Association recognizes KRMC for excellence in heart attack treatment

Every year, more than 250,000 people experience a segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the most deadly type of heart attack, in which a coronary artery is completely blocked, cutting off blood flow to a large area of the heart. To prevent death, it is critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, either by mechanically opening the blocked vessel or by providing clot-busting medication.

Kalispell Regional Medical Center has been recognized by the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® program for excellence in improving quality of patient care for heart attack treatment.

The goal of Mission: Lifeline is to reduce barriers to prompt treatment for heart attacks, beginning with the 911 call and continuing through hospital treatment. Kalispell Regional Medical Center earned the award by meeting specific criteria and standards of performance for the quick and appropriate treatment of STEMI patients by providing emergency procedures to re-establish blood flow to blocked arteries when needed.

“This award indicates that we are striving to follow best practice guidelines for our heart attack patients,” said Karen Doolan, Director of Cardiopulmonary and Research Services. “We are working collaboratively within our organization, with emergency medical services and with our referring hospitals to provide the best care possible for our patients.”

As a 2016 Mission: Lifeline Receiving Center Silver Plus Recognition Award recipient, KRMC is part of an elite group of hospitals recognized for success in implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association. Eligible hospitals must adhere to these measures at a set level for 12 consecutive months to receive this award.

Kalispell Regional Medical Center is committed to applying evidence-based treatment guidelines to improve patient care and outcomes in the communities we serve. Receiving the Mission: Lifeline Silver Plus award means that KRMC has reached an achievement score of 75 percent or greater for treating STEMI patients within 90 minutes and STEMI patients transferred from other facilities within 120 minutes.

Heart attack services at KRMC continue to be a focus for process improvement and growth. Doolan added, “We have several new cardiologists who have joined the Rocky Mountain Heart and Lung cardiology team, with a goal of significantly decreasing the wait time to see a cardiologist. These new cardiologists bring specialized skills that will allow us to provide procedures that patients have previously had to travel out of the valley to receive.”