Heart Attack
Heart attack (also called an AMI--acute myocardial infarction) is a life-threatening event that happens when the arteries leading to the heart become blocked and the blood supply is slowed or stopped. These quality measures show some of the standards of care provided when appropriate for adults who have had heart attack.
WMHS reports our application of the Core Measures to both the Maryland Health Care Commission and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which publish the data on their websites. Since all hospitals across the country submit this information, the level of care provided at WMHS can easily be compared to the care provided by other hospitals in Maryland and the U.S.
To learn more about how the application of Core Measures at WMHS compares to other hospitals in the U.S., visit
Hospital Compare HHS GOV
WMHS is committed to our mission of superior care for all we serve and strives continually to improve patient care. We review our application of the Core Measure indicators frequently to see where we can improve our processes. The columns on the left reflects the current data published on the Maryland Health Care Commission’s Hospital Guide website at: (MHCC Maryland GOV Hospital Guide Patient Experience)
The two columns on the right show our preliminary data for subsequent quarters. This information is used for trending purposes only. These results have not gone through the final statistical analysis used by the State of Maryland and CMS before publication on their websites.
|
Percent of Hospital Patients Receiving Standard of Care (Final) Apr 2011–Mar 2012 |
Preliminary Data from WMHS For Trending Purposes |
|
Standard of Care |
WMHS |
Maryland |
1st QTR 12 |
2nd QTR 12 |
3rd QTR 12 |
|
Heart Attack Patients Given Aspirin at Arrival
Aspirin can help keep blood clots from forming and dissolve blood clots that can cause heart attacks. |
99% |
99% |
98.2% |
100% |
100% |
|
Heart Attack Patients Given Aspirin at Discharge
Taking aspirin may help prevent further heart attacks |
98% |
99% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
|
Heart Attack Patients Given ACE Inhibitor or ARB for Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction (LVSD)
ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors and ARBs (angiotensin receptor blockers) are medicines used to treat heart attacks, heart failure, or a decreased function of the heart. |
96% |
98% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
|
Heart Attack Patients Given Smoking Cessation Advice or Counseling
Smoking is linked to heart attacks. Quitting may help prevent another heart attack. |
99% |
99% |
*Measured
Discontinued |
*Measured
Discontinued |
*Measured
Discontinued |
|
Heart Attack Patients Given Beta Blocker at Discharge
Beta blockers are a type of medicine used to lower blood pressure, treat chest pain (angina) and heart failure, and to help prevent a heart attack. |
96% |
99% |
98% |
100% |
98.3% |
|
Heart Attack Patients Give PCI within 90 Minutes of Arrival
The procedures called Percutaneous Coronary Interventions (PCI) are among those that are the most effective for opening blocked blood vessels that cause heart attacks. Doctors may perform PCI, or give medicine to open the blockage, and in some cases, may do both. |
90% |
91% |
77.8% (Process changes made to improve) |
80% |
86.7% |
|
Heart Attack Patients Given a Prescription for a Statin at Discharge
For patients who had a heart attack and have high cholesterol, taking Statins can lower the chance that they’ll have another heart attack or die. |
92% |
91% |
97.8% |
97.8% |
98.3% |
Additional information about the patient experience of care at all Maryland hospitals can be found in the Maryland Health Care Commissions’ Hospital Guide at MHCC Maryland GOV Hospital Guide.
