CUMBERLAND – May 24, 2021 – UPMC Western Maryland has received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain  ̶  MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2021. UPMC Western Maryland is one of only 212 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.

The award recognizes UPMC Western Maryland’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients and signifies that UPMC Western Maryland has reached an aggressive goal of treating these patients to standard levels of care as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.

To receive the Chest Pain  ̶  MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award, UPMC Western Maryland has demonstrated sustained achievement in the Chest Pain  ̶   MI Registry for two consecutive years (2019 and 2020), and performed at the highest level for specific performance measures. 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.

“As a Platinum Performance Award recipient, UPMC Western Maryland has established itself as a leader in setting the national standard for improving quality of care in patients with acute myocardial infarction,” said Michael C. Kontos, MD, FACC, chair of the NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Steering Subcommittee, and cardiologist at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. “By meeting the award requirements set forth in the registry, UPMC Western Maryland has demonstrated a commitment to providing reliable, comprehensive treatment for heart attack patients based on current clinical guideline recommendations.”

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that almost 700,000 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 prestigious award from the American College of Cardiology is a testament to the excellence of our Cardiac program here at UPMC Western Maryland” said Christopher Haas, D.O., Medical Director of Cardiology. “The care delivered by UPMC Western Maryland is consistently at or above the national standards, and our team works tirelessly to ensure we remain the best choice for our heart patients. The awards certainly are nice, but our greatest reward is when our heart attack patients go back to their families and their lives.”

“We are very proud of the continued success of our cardiac program which is driven by the many dedicated staff members, advanced practice providers and physicians at the UPMC Western Maryland Heart and Vascular Institute,” said James Karstetter, UPMC Western Maryland Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President, Patient Care Services. “Their drive and determination to make sure we are consistently performing at the highest level possible ensures our patients are receiving the best cardiac care possible closer to home and with family nearby”.

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.

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 54,000 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.