Framingham Union Hospital Nationally Recognized for its Commitment to Quality Care for Heart Attacks in MetroWest

The American Heart Association presents the Mission: Lifeline STEMI Receiving CenterBronze award for implementation of quality treatment, care coordination for heart attack patients.

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — July 19, 2023 – MetroWest Medical Center’s Framingham Union Hospital has received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline^® STEMI Receiving Center Bronze recognition for its commitment to offering rapid, research-based care to people experiencing a specific type of heart attack known as an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), known to be more severe and dangerous than other types of heart attacks.

Each year, about 285,000 people in the U.S. experience this type of heart attack,caused by a complete blockage in a coronary artery. Nearly 40% of people who go to the emergency room with acute coronary syndrome are diagnosed with a STEMI. Like all heart attacks, this requires timely treatment to restore blood flow as quickly as possible.

Mission: Lifeline is a national, community-based initiative improving systems of care for patients with STEMI, non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), stroke and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The program focuses on streamlining processes to speed the delivery of proper treatment for time sensitive, neuro-cardiovascular disease states.

Recognition as a Mission: Lifeline Receiving Center is designed to showcase hospitals that provide 24/7 support for STEMI. These important facilities coordinate with a network of referring hospitals and emergency medical services to provide guideline-directed STEMI and NSTEMI care.

“Care coordination is particularly important when someone experiences a STEMI heart attack, and American Heart Association guidelines call for specific actions in the hospital and following a hospital stay,” said James G. Jollis, M.D., volunteer for the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines^® - Coronary Artery Disease Systems of Care Advisory Work Group and cardiologist with The Christ Hospital Physicians – Heart & Vascular in Cincinnati. “Hospitals like Framingham Union are recognized for consistently supporting patients with science-based treatment and care coordination, ensuring the best opportunity for recovery.”

The Mission: Lifeline Receiving Center award is earned by hospitals that demonstrate a commitment to treating patients according to the most up-to-date research-based guidelines for STEMI care as outlined by the American Heart Association.

“MetroWest Medical Center’s Framingham Union Hospital is dedicated to improving the quality of heart care and the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program helps us achieve that goal,” said John Whitlock, Chief Executive Officer. “The Mission: Lifeline program puts proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, so patients have the best possible chance of survival.”