People who live in rural communities live an average of three years fewer than urban counterparts and have a 40% higher likelihood of developing heart disease.[1],[2] At Lexington Regional Health Center we are committed to changing that.
For efforts to optimize acute cardiac care and eliminate rural health care outcome disparities, Lexington Regional Health Center has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Rural Recognition Bronze award for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).
“We are deeply honored to receive this award, which recognizes our unwavering dedication to enhancing healthcare accessibility and quality for those in rural communities affected by coronary artery disease”, said CEO Leslie Marsh. “This recognition reaffirms our commitment to providing comprehensive care, leveraging innovation, and fostering partnerships to ensure every individual receives the best possible treatment, regardless of their geographic location.”
The American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all, recognizes the importance of health care services provided to people living in rural areas by rural hospitals that play a vital role in initiation of timely evidence-based care. For that reason, all rural hospitals participating in Get With The Guidelines® – CAD are eligible to receive award recognition based on a unique methodology focused on suspected non ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) and/or STEMI performance metrics
This award recognizes hospitals for their efforts toward care excellence for suspected ST-elevation myocardial infarction care excellence. This is demonstrated by composite score compliance to seven guideline-directed care metrics for STEMI: early recognition of STEMI by electrocardiogram; timely initiation of inter-facility hospital transfer; initiation of a rapid reperfusion strategy by thrombolytic administration and/or primary percutaneous intervention; administration of appropriate antiplatelet and anticoagulant medications prior to transfer.
[1] https://newsroom.heart.org/news/american-heart-association-issues-call-to-action-for-addressing-inequities-in-rural-health; https://newsroom.heart.org/news/public-health-americorps-to-address-health-inequity-in-rural-communities.
[2] https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000753#R16