Heart Attack

Sparks’ Core Measures

ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFRACTION(HEART ATTACK)

Due to the urgent nature of a suspected heart attack or Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI), symptom recognition and speed of the initial response, particularly in those who may have already had a cardiac arrest, is extremely important.

Medicare and Joint Commission have requested hospitals manager processes related to Heart Attack treatment and to collect and submit data pertaining to these processes. Medicare has termed these treatments as ‘Core Measures’ and these treatments can aid in maximizing the likelihood of survival after the onset of Heart Attack symptoms. These measures include:

  •     • If appropriate, early Thrombolytic therapy within 30 minutes of arrival to the hospital, or
  •     • Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), sometimes known as Angioplasty.
  •     • When appropriate, the patient would receive certain medications on arrival and discharge to include an aspirin and Beta Blockers
  •     • Evaluation of left ventricular systolic function, typically identified by an echocardiogram or in conjunction with a heart catheterization.
  •     • If a diagnosis of left ventricular systolic dysfunction is found, then the patient, if not contraindicate, would receive certain medications
  •     • Smoking cessation counseling.

Other measures are currently being evaluated and will be adopted at Sparks with they become available.

To view Sparks’ Heart Attack Core Measures Data please click here. To compare Sparks with other healthcare facilities in this region or to learn more about quality measures, you may visit Medicare’s Hospital Compare website by clicking here.