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Heart Attack Care

Quality Measures: Heart Attack Care

Over a million people in the U.S. suffer a heart attack each year, but it is possible to resume a healthy life with fast and thorough treatment and follow-up care. Heart attacks occur when blood vessels blocked by plaque prevent the necessary flow of blood and oxygen to the heart. Patients may survive a heart attack if the blood flow is restored quickly. To avoid irreversible damage to patients showing signs and symptoms of heart attack, treatments should begin as soon as possible, with the goal of restoring blood flow within 90 minutes after arrival to the hospital.

Virtua - 99%
NJ - 98%
National - 96%

Aspirin At Arrival (Outpatient)

This measures the percentage of patients with chest pain or possible heart attack who receive an aspirin within 24 hours of arrival to the hospital.


Why is this important?
Aspirin is an inexpensive, safe, and effective treatment for heart attack that can prevent or dissolve blood clots that may cause heart attacks.

Virtua - 7 min
NJ - 7 min
National - 7 min

Median Time To ECG (Outpatient)

This measures the time from emergency department arrival to electrocardiogram (ECG) for patients 18 years and older with heart attack symptoms or chest pain (faster is better).


Why is this important?
Patients with heart attack symptoms should have an electrocardiogram (ECG) performed within a target of 10 minutes of emergency department (ED) arrival.

CURRENT DATA COLLECTION

Virtua Data Range: July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017

National Data Range: Oct. 1, 2015 - Sep. 30, 2016