WakeMed Among Nation's Top Performing Hospitals for Treatment of Heart Attack Patients

RALEIGH, N.C. (May 25, 2022) – WakeMed has been given top honors from the American College of Cardiology for providing the highest quality of cardiovascular care and services for our patients. WakeMed Raleigh Campus and WakeMed Cary Hospital are two of only 240 hospitals nationwide to receive the American College of Cardiology's NCDR Chest Pain - MI Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2022.

This award recognizes WakeMed’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care and signifies that both hospitals have reached top performing status for treating heart attack patients according to the clinical guidelines of care recommended by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association.

To receive the Chest Pain - MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award, WakeMed demonstrated sustained achievements for two consecutive years (2020 and 2021) in the Chest Pain - MI Registry, meeting the highest level of performance measures and standards.

“WakeMed is honored to be recognized by the American College of Cardiology for our continued commitment to our chest pain and heart attack patients, ensuring the best possible chance of survival, recovery and quality of life after a cardiovascular event,” said Amanda Thompson, MHA, BSN, RN, NEA-BC, executive director of WakeMed Heart & Vascular Services. “The NCDR Chest Pain - MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award demonstrates that we are putting proven knowledge and best practices to work each day to improve outcomes for cardiovascular patients and their overall health and well-being.”

Full participation in the Chest Pain – MI 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 WakeMed with these Platinum Performance Awards 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 WakeMed 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 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.

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.

A cardiac leader and innovator for more than 50 years, WakeMed is the trusted, preferred provider of heart care in Wake County. WakeMed offers a wide range of services and procedures to keep the community heart healthy, from medical management to the most advanced diagnostics and minimally invasive procedures and surgeries. For more information about WakeMed’s cardiovascular experts and our innovative heart and vascular services, visit WakeMed Heart & Vascular.

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 The American College of Cardiology.

About WakeMed Health & Hospitals

Serving the community since 1961, WakeMed is a not-for-profit health care system founded and based in Raleigh, N.C. WakeMed exists to improve the health and well-being of our community by providing outstanding and compassionate care to all. WakeMed’s 970-bed system comprises a network of facilities throughout the Triangle area, including three full-service hospitals, seven emergency departments, a dedicated Children’s Hospital and Rehabilitation Hospital, more than 80 physician offices and Wake County’s only Level I Trauma Center. WakeMed’s mission-driven team includes more than 10,300 employees, 1,000 volunteers and 1,300 affiliated physicians, along with the more than 580 physicians and providers with WakeMed Physician Practices – all representing the best minds and the biggest hearts and the finest quality in health care and community health. For more information, visit www.wakemed.org or follow WakeMed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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