N E W S R E L E A S E
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY, JULY 15, 2019 — Saratoga Hospital is the proud recipient of the Mission: Lifeline® Gold Receiving Quality Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association for the treatment of patients who suffer sever
e heart attacks. Opened in 2017, the hospital’s Interventional Cardiology Program earned this rigorous recognition following its second year of 24/7 emergency cardiac services.
Every year in the United States, more than 250,000 people experience an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the deadliest type of heart attack, caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. To prevent death, it’s critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, either by mechanically opening the blocked vessel or by providing clot-busting medication.
The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program’s goal is to reduce system barriers to prompt treatment for heart attacks, beginning with the 9-1-1 call, to EMS transport and continuing through hospital treatment and discharge. The initiative provides tools, training and other resources to support heart attack care following protocols from the most recent evidence-based treatment guidelines.
Saratoga Hospital earned the award by meeting specific criteria and standards of performance for quick and appropriate treatment through emergency procedures to re-establish blood flow to blocked arteries in heart attack patients coming into the hospital directly or by transfer from another facility. Through the affiliation with Albany Med, Saratoga Hospital has the confidence and resources to offer this high level of emergency cardiac intervention service.
“Saratoga Hospital is dedicated to providing optimal care for heart attack patients right here in Saratoga Springs, 24/7, close to home, when minutes matter,” said Theodoros Laddis, MD, FACC, Chief, Division of Cardiology, Saratoga Hospital Medical Group - Cardiology. “That’s why we worked so hard to create the Interventional Cardiology program. To receive this recognition for our dedication and achievements in cardiac care through Mission: Lifeline in just our third year of operation is an honor and validates our commitment to quality care.”
“Our greatest reward is seeing the lives we’re impacting each day since we opened,” said Rocco D. Grella, MD, medical director of Interventional Cardiology at Saratoga Hospital. “Our physicians and staff are dedicated to help our patients achieve the best possible outcomes. To that end, we continually review every step in our processes, measuring response time, working closely with first responders, and implementing the American Heart Association /American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines/Mission: Lifeline program, putting proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis.”
“We commend Saratoga Hospital for this award in recognition for following evidence-based guidelines for timely heart attack treatment,” said Tim Henry, M.D., Chair of the Mission: Lifeline Acute Coronary Syndrome Subcommittee. “We applaud the significant institutional commitment to their critical role in the system of care for quickly and appropriately treating heart attack patients.”
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About Saratoga Hospital
Saratoga Hospital is the Saratoga region’s leading healthcare provider and the only acute-care facility in Saratoga County. The hospital’s multispecialty practice, Saratoga Hospital Medical Group, provides care at more than 20 locations, ensuring easy access to programs and services that can have the greatest impact on individual and community health. Saratoga Hospital has maintained Magnet designation for nursing excellence since 2004. Through its affiliation with Columbia Memorial Health and Albany Med, Saratoga Hospital is part of the largest locally governed health system in region. For more information: www.saratogahospital.org or www.facebook.com/SaratogaHospital.
About Mission: Lifeline
The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program helps hospitals and emergency medical services develop systems of care that follow proven standards and procedures for STEMI patients. The program works by mobilizing teams across the continuum of care to implement American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Foundation clinical treatment guidelines. For more information, visit heart.org.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Peter Hopper
Director, Marketing and Communications
518.583.8679
phopper@saratogahospital.org