CUMBERLAND, Md., July 10, 2024 – For the fourth consecutive year, UPMC Western Maryland has received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain  ̶  MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award, and is one of only 259 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor in 2024. The award recognizes UPMC Western Maryland’s success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients, as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association.

To receive the Chest Pain  ̶  MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award, UPMC Western Maryland has demonstrated sustained achievement and performed at the highest level for certain outcome measures.  Full participation in the registry engages hospitals in a robust quality improvement process using data to drive improvements in adherence to guidelines, recommendations and overall quality of care provided to heart attack patients.

“It is an honor to award UPMC Western Maryland with the Platinum Performance Achievement Award for their valuable national leadership and dedication to meeting comprehensive performance measures in patient care,” said Michael C. Kontos, M.D., 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 UPMC Western Maryland remains committed to providing top quality, guideline-driven care for heart attack patients. Their success ensures patients are receiving excellent 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.

“This is the fourth year in a row that we have received this prestigious award from the American College of Cardiology, and it reflects our continued dedication to excellence,” said Christopher Haas, D.O., medical director of the Heart and Vascular Institute at UPMC Western Maryland. “The cardiac care delivered by UPMC Western Maryland consistently exceeds national standards, making our facility the best choice for patients in our community with heart issues to receive treatment. Ultimately, our greatest reward is returning our heart patients back to their lives and families, but we do greatly appreciate the national recognition from the American College of Cardiology.”

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.

“We are so proud of our cardiac program at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute at UPMC Western Maryland,” said UPMC Western Maryland president Michele Martz. “Every day, positive patient experiences are driven by the tireless dedication of our staff members, advanced practice providers and physicians. Their drive and determination to consistently perform at the highest level ensure our patients are receiving the best cardiac care possible.” This is just another example of providing life-saving medicine close to home.”