Baptist Memphis Among Nation’s Top-Performing Hospitals for Heart Attack Treatment

MEMPHIS, Tenn. –Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis has earned the American College of Cardiology's NCDR Chest Pain MI – Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for the sixth year in a row.

The award recognizes Baptist Memphis’ commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients according to the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association’s clinical standards of care. Baptist Memphis is one of only 240 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.

“We are proud to be recognized for providing high-level, quality cardiac care for our community,” said Brad Parsons, vice president and CEO of Baptist Memphis. “This recognition is an honor for our hospital, and a testament to the expertise and efforts of our team.”

To receive the 2022 Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award, Baptist Memphis has demonstrated sustained achievement in the Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry for two consecutive years (2020 and 2021), and performed at the highest level for specific performance measures. Full participation in the registry immerses 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 the Baptist Memphis cardiology team the Platinum Performance Award for their valuable national leadership and dedication to meeting comprehensive performance measures in patient care,” said Dr. Michael C. Kontos, 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 Baptist Memphis remains committed to providing top-quality, guideline-driven care for heart attack patients. The hospital’s success ensures patients receive the highest quality cardiovascular care.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 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 other interventions. 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 Baptist Memphis campus includes the 706-bed hospital, which is the flagship of the Baptist Memorial Health Care system. It serves as a major referral center for patients from across the Mid-South and offers many diagnostic, surgical and rehabilitation services. The hospital has added hundreds of beds in the past few years, with the opening of a new patient tower and the Baptist Heart Institute. According to HealthGrades, an independent health care ratings organization, Baptist Memphis’ cardiac surgery, stroke, gastrointestinal, pulmonary and critical care programs were among the top 5 percent in the nation in 2009, resulting in the facility receiving Specialty Excellence Awards.

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 lead 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.