MetroWest Medical Center Honored with Mission: Lifeline Gold Receiving Award from American Heart Association

Achievement recognizes high-quality care for severe heart attack patients

Framingham, MA – MetroWest Medical Center has received the Mission: Lifeline® Gold Receiving Quality Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures to treat patients who suffer severe heart attacks.

Each year, more than 250,000 people experience an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the deadliest type of heart attack, caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. 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.

The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program helps reduce barriers to prompt treatment for heart attacks – starting from when 9-1-1 is called, to EMS transport and continuing through hospital treatment and discharge. Optimal care for heart attack patients takes coordination between the individual hospital, EMS and healthcare system.

“EMTs and paramedics play a vital role in the care of heart attack patients,” said Dr. George Kinzfogl, Chief of Cardiology at MetroWest Medical Center. “Since they are the first medical point of contact, they identify ST elevation myocardial infarction in the field and then activate the emergency response system that alerts hospitals to an incoming patient. Once the patient arrives we have an outstanding Interventional Cardiology team, led by Dr. Christopher Gange and Dr. James Alderman, providing state-of-the-art heart attack care.”

“We are grateful for this award as a testament to the dedication of all our team members. The acumen of the doctors and nurses in our Emergency Room, the expertise of our Cath lab teams performing emergency coronary interventions, and the care our patients receive in the ICU after their procedure—they are all exemplary. Every 40 seconds someone in the United States experiences a heart attack. Here at MetroWest Medical Center we are proud to be a heart attack receiving hospital. We will continue to promote excellence in patient care by applying the most up to date scientific guidelines, with both skill and compassion.”

MetroWest Medical Center earned the award by demonstrating how the hospital has committed to improving quality care for STEMI patients.

“We are proud of our exceptional team of physicians, nurses, technicians and staff who make this distinction possible,” said Ava Collins, Chief Executive Officer of MetroWest Medical Center. “Along with our community emergency medical services partners, we remain dedicated to providing the very best care for patients experiencing a heart attack.”