Just two years after attaining state approval to perform emergency interventions on patients suffering deadly heart attacks, Beaufort Memorial Hospital has earned the American College of Cardiology’s top honor for cardiac care.

<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Heart-center-interior-sign-2-2.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-24154" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Heart-center-interior-sign-2-2-300x175.jpg" alt="Heart center interior sign 2-2" width="300" height="175" /></a>The 2015 ACTION Registry “Get with the Guidelines” Gold Performance Award from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry recognizes Beaufort Memorial for consistently following the treatment guidelines and recommendations of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) for eight consecutive quarters.

BMH is one of only 78 hospitals nationwide to win the prestigious award.

“To receive the gold citation after just two years is a phenomenal accomplishment,” said BMH President and CEO Rick Toomey. “It reflects the effort our emergency department and cardiac team have made to provide the highest quality care to our patients. By following the guidelines and expediting treatment, we’re saving lives and improving patient’s long-term life expectancy.”

BMH had to meet a performance standard of 90 percent for specific measures, including the time it takes to open the blocked artery of a patient suffering a STEMI heart attack or ST elevation myocardial infarction.

In every STEMI case brought into the hospital, cardiologists have been able to perform the procedure in far less time than the maximum 90 minutes recommended by the AHA and ACC. Research has shown shaving even a few minutes off the time it takes to restore blood flow to the heart improves outcomes.

“The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association commend Beaufort Memorial Hospital for its success in implementing standards of care and protocols,” said Dr. James Jollis, ACTION Registry-GWTG chair and professor of Medicine and Radiology at Duke University Hospital. “The implementation of these guidelines requires successful coordination of the hospital’s cardiovascular team and emergency personnel and is a critical step in saving lives and improving outcomes of heart attack patients.”

Last year, BMH was honored with the GWTG Silver Performance Achievement Award after following treatment guidelines for four consecutive quarters and meeting specific criteria and standards of performance for all types of heart attacks.