WakeMed Recognized for Treatment of Heart Attack Patients

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) recently recognized WakeMed Raleigh Campus and WakeMed Cary Hospital as being among the nation’s top performing hospitals for the treatment of heart attack patients.

Raleigh Campus was one of 212 hospitals nationwide to receive the ACC's NCDR Chest Pain - MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2020. Cary Hospital was one of 60 hospitals nationwide to receive the Gold Performance Achievement Award for 2020.

These awards recognize WakeMed’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients and signifies that we follow standard levels of care as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations. Hospitals recognized with these honors have demonstrated sustained achievement in Chest Pain MI Registry™ for two consecutive years (2019 and 2020) and performed at the top level for specific performance measure to receive the 2021 award.

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.

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.

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. Learn more at ACC.org/CPMIaward.

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 946-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 9,800 employees, 1,500 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 wakemed.org or follow WakeMed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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For Additional Information

WakeMed Health & Hospitals


Kristin Kelly | Phone: 919-350-5921


Email: krkelly@wakemed.org