Independence Health System Among Nation's Top Performers For Heart Attack Treatment For Seventh Time

BUTLER, PA, June 7, 2023 … Independence Health System continues to be recognized for exemplary cardiovascular care as a recipient of the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2023. This is the seventh time the health system’s Butler Memorial Hospital has been recognized for this prestigious award over the past eight years. Butler Memorial Hospital is one of only 262 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.

The award recognizes Independence Health System and Butler Memorial Hospital for the commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients and signifies that the hospital has reached an aggressive goal as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.
Recognition is based on sustained adherence to specific performance measures over a 24-month lookback period. Full participation in the registry engages hospitals in a robust quality improvement process using data to drive improvements in adherence to guideline recommendations and overall quality of care provided to heart attack patients.

“It is an honor to award Butler Memorial Hospital with the Platinum 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 at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. “The receipt of this award indicates that Butler Memorial Hospital 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 and Prevention estimates that more than 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 gratified to once again be recognized among the nation’s top performing hospitals for the treatment of heart attack patients,” said Dr. Richard Begg, MD, FACC, FSCAI, Medical Director of Cardiovascular Services at Independence Health System Butler Memorial Hospital. “From early recognition by patients and their families, EMS care and transport, emergency room treatment, catheterization laboratory treatment and intervention, and post-procedure recovery, many people are involved. This award is a testament to the quality care our dedicated heart team continuously provides at Independence Health System.”

Independence Health System offers patients a robust cardiovascular program, beginning with medical management of heart disease by noninvasive cardiologists; device implantation and minimally invasive repairs by interventional cardiologists, and leading edge robot assisted surgery performed by cardiac, thoracic and vascular surgeons. Program honors include national recognition by the Society for Thoracic Surgeons, American Heart/Stroke Association, the American College of Cardiology and US News, among others. Such recognition assures adherence to the highest clinical standards and results in shortened procedures, less post-operative recovery time and less risk for complications.

To learn more visit www.independence.health.

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The American College of Cardiology envisions a world where innovation and knowledge optimize cardiovascular care and outcomes. As the professional home for the entire cardiovascular care team, the mission of the College and its more than 56,000 members is to transform cardiovascular care and to improve heart health. The ACC bestows credentials upon cardiovascular professionals who meet stringent qualifications and leads in the formation of health policy, standards and guidelines. The College also provides professional medical education, disseminates cardiovascular research through its world-renowned JACC Journals, operates national registries to measure and improve care, and offers cardiovascular accreditation to hospitals and institutions. For more, visit acc.org.

Independence Health System offers patients nationally recognized quality care in cardiology, orthopedics, palliative care, and maternity as well as a broad range of surgical, medical, emergency, and behavioral health services, and an extensive network of primary care physicians. With five hospitals, nearly 1,000 healthcare providers and more than 7,000 employees, Independence Health System serves a 10-county region and is the largest employer in Butler and Westmoreland counties.