Myrtue Medical Center - The First Critical Access Hospital in Iowa to Receive American Heart Association's Mission: Lifeline Gold Referring Achievement Award

Myrtue Medical Center has received the Mission: Lifeline^® Gold Referring Quality Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association for the treatment of patients who suffer severe heart attacks. Myrtue is the first Critical Access Hospital in the state of Iowa to receive this elite cardiac care designation.

This is the second year in a row that the American Heart Association has recognized the hospital for saving lives. In 2019, Myrtue received the Mission: Lifeline® Silver Referring Quality Achievement Award by applying the most up-to-date evidence-based treatment guidelines to improve patient care and cardiac outcomes in our community.

Every year, more than 250,000 people experience an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI),the deadliest type of heart attack, caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. To prevent death, it’s critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, either by mechanically opening the blocked vessel or by providing clot-busting medication.

The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program’s goal is to reduce system barriers to prompt treatment for heart attacks, beginning with the 9-1-1 call, to EMS transport and continuing through hospital treatment and discharge. The initiative provides tools, training and other resources to support heart attack care following protocols from the most recent evidence-based treatment guidelines.

Myrtue Medical Center earned the award by meeting specific criteria and standards of performance for promptly diagnosing STEMI patients and transferring them to hospitals that provide emergency procedures to re-establish blood flow to blocked arteries when needed. “

“Teamwork among providers and staff at Myrtue, Medivac, Shelby County Emergency Responders and the receiving hospitals is the reason this award is possible. The ability to quickly get a patient to a cath lab is heart muscle saving. This recognition for our level of cardiac care is truly an honor,” said Jenny Lefeber, manager of Myrtue’s Emergency Department.

“We commend Myrtue Medical Center for this award in recognition for following evidence-based guidelines for timely heart attack treatment,” said Tim Henry, M.D., Chair of the Mission: Lifeline Acute Coronary Syndrome Subcommittee. “We applaud the significant institutional commitment to their critical role in the system of care for quickly and appropriately treating heart attack patients.”