LewisGale Medical Center among top hospitals for treatment of heart attack patients

Salem, VA – LewisGale Medical Center has received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Silver Performance Achievement Award for 2022. LewisGale Medical Center is one of only 85 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.

The award recognizes LewisGale Medical Center’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients. It also signifies that LewisGale Medical Center is treating these patients to standard levels of care outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.

To receive the Chest Pain – MI Registry Silver Performance Achievement Award, LewisGale Medical Center has demonstrated sustained achievement in the Chest Pain – MI Registry for four consecutive quarters during 2021, and performed with distinction in specific performance measures. Full participation in the registry means hospitals employ a quality improvement process using data to drive improvements, adhere to recommendations and provide quality care to heart attack patients.

“It is an honor to award LewisGale Medical Center with the 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. “The receipt of this award indicates that LewisGale Medical Center 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 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 this award,” said Alan Fabian, LewisGale Medical Center chief executive officer. “The achievement highlights the dedication, commitment, and clinical excellence of the entire LewisGale Medical Center cardiovascular team.”

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.