LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (July 13, 2016) -- The CHI St. Vincent Infirmary in Little Rock has been honored with the Mission: Lifeline award for invoking specific quality improvement measures for the treatment of severe heart attack patients as outlined by the American Heart Association.

Every year, more than 250,000 people experience an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) the most deadly 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 goal of Mission: Lifeline from AHA is to improve patient outcomes overall and save lives. This is accomplished through addressing gaps in care, creating systems where they don’t currently exist, and providing innovative tools and measures to improve the speed and quality of care by enabling EMS, referring hospitals (non-PCI) and receiving hospitals (PCI-capable) to work together seamlessly and accelerate the decision making process while treating high-risk patients

“The team at CHI St. Vincent is dedicated to providing the best care to patients throughout their entire journey,” said Polly Davenport, president of CHI St. Vincent Infirmary. “By implementing new and updated practices and translating them into procedure, CHI St. Vincent staff members are constantly improving the level of care offered to our patients.”