Heart attack treatment at Baptist Health Paducah was recently recognized among the nation’s best by the American College of Cardiology.

Baptist Health is one of only 197 hospitals nationwide to receive the NCDR® (National Cardiovascular Data Registry) ACTION Registry®–Get With the GuidelinesTM Platinum Performance Achievement Award. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.

To receive the award, the hospital followed treatment guidelines for eight consecutive quarters and met a performance standard of 90 percent for specific performance measures, such as the time it takes to open a blocked artery.

For people suffering heart attacks, it means that Baptist Health Paducah has a proven track record of prompt and appropriate treatment to

save lives, said Chest Pain Coordinator Trish Edwards. “Baptist Health Paducah continues to focus on improving the quality of cardiovascular care by using the ACTION Registry–GWTG,” said Edwards.

She said the recognition will grow more important as heart disease continues to affect more people. “The number of heart attack patients eligible for treatment is expected to grow over the next decade because of the increase in heart disease and a large aging population,” she said.

Heart care at Baptist Health Paducah received previous Get with the Guidelines recognitions in 2013 and 2012 for ensuring cardiac arrest patients get timely CPR, defibrillation or other appropriate treatment within minutes.