Baptist Hospital Receives Gold Standard for Heart Attack Care

Baptist Medical Group is proud to share that Baptist Hospital recently became the region’s first hospital to receive the American College of Cardiology Foundation’s Gold Performance Achievement Award for sustaining the highest standards and excellence in cardiovascular care. Baptist Hospital was presented with the award at the 2011 Quality Achievement Awards in Orlando, Fla., on November 14, 2011.

“We're honored to receive the prestigious Gold Award for our successful outcomes for heart attack care. Our D2B task force has worked hard to deliver a higher level of care to patients and lead the nation in heart attack outcomes. From the time patients arrive to the hospital, through initial care to recovery, our team approach ensures that each patient receives superior care," said Bob Spencer, M.D., Medical Director of Baptist Hospital’s Door to Balloon (D2B) Task Force and cardiologist with Cardiology Consultants.

“The Gold Award was achieved through EMS, hospital staff, and physicians uniting as one team to consistently implement a higher standard of care for heart attack patients. This award demonstrates the team’s commitment to adhering to the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations for best patient care practices," stated Leslie Estes-Smith, Executive Director of Heart and Vascular Services, Baptist Hospital.

Baptist Hospital is one of just 167 recipients nationwide and the only one in the region to receive the Gold Performance Achievement Award. The NCDR ACTION Get with the Guidelines (GWTG) Registry combines the best of both the American College of Cardiology Foundation and the American Heart Association’s programs into a single, unified national registry. It has partnering support from the America College of Emergency Physicians, Society of Chest Pain Centers and the Society of Hospital Medicine to supply Baptist Hospital with resources to consistently provide patients with coronary artery disease a higher level of quality, safety, and outcomes.

Baptist Health Care recently announced an expansion to more fully align with of Cardiology Consultants’ 27 cardiologists to grow, strengthen, and expand a world-class regional heart and vascular program. The program will increase outreach and patient access to innovative heart care services and offer an even higher level of service.

To learn more about Cardiology Consultants and the physician team that helped make this award possible, click here to visit their practice page.