Frye Regional Medical Center Is Nationally Recognized for Quality Care for Heart Attack Patients

HICKORY, NC (July 17, 2023) – Frye Regional Medical Center, a Duke LifePoint hospital, has received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® STEMI Receiving Gold Plus achievement award for implementing specific quality improvement measures to treat patients who suffer severe heart attacks. The hospital was also awarded the Mission: Lifeline® NSTEMI Gold achievement award for implementing specific quality improvement measures to treat heart attack patients more efficiently and rapidly.

Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a heart attack. Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Studies show patients can recover better when health care providers consistently follow treatment guidelines.

Mission: Lifeline puts the expertise of the American Heart Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest evidence- and research-based guidelines. As a participant in Mission: Lifeline, Frye Regional qualified for these awards by demonstrating its commitment to improving quality care.

“Frye Regional is committed to improving cardiovascular care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines and streamlining processes to ensure timely and proper care for heart attacks,” said R. Norman McDonald, MD, an interventional cardiologist and Frye Regional’s cardiology section chief. “The Mission: Lifeline program makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which helps us ensure more patients have the best possible chance of survival and experience longer, healthier lives.”

According to Dr. McDonald, a heart attack with a completely blocked coronary artery is called a STEMI (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction). STEMI heart attacks tend to be more severe with a greater risk of serious complications than other types of heart attack. An NSTEMI, or non-STEMI heart attack, is caused by a partial blockage of blood flow to the heart and requires timely treatment.

Depending on factors such as how blocked the coronary artery is and the severity of the heart attack itself, treatment may include a non-surgical procedure (percutaneous coronary intervention) to open up the narrowed or blocked section of the artery, restoring blood flow to the heart. Severe blockages may need coronary artery bypass grafting, which can be performed close to home by the experienced heart team at Frye Regional.

The Frye Regional Heart Center is the first Duke Health heart affiliate in western North Carolina. Backed by the resources of the Duke Heart Center, Frye Regional gains access to current Duke training and staff education, evidence-based guidelines and practices when it comes to heart and heart-related issues.

“Frye Regional is pleased and honored to once again receive national recognition in heart care,” said Philip Greene, MD, chief executive officer of Frye Regional Medical center. “This year’s awards will be added to a long list of achievements in cardiovascular health including past Mission: Lifeline accolades and our most recent Get With The Guidelines® Heart Failure Gold Plus quality award, also from the American Heart Association.”

Additionally, the accredited Chest Pain Center at Frye Regional Medical Center has been recognized with the NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry™ Platinum Performance Achievement Award from the American College of Cardiology, which identifies hospitals that have demonstrated a sustained, higher standard of care for heart attack patients.

“We are pleased to recognize Frye Regional Medical Center for its commitment to caring for those in their community who need cardiovascular care,” said John Warner, MD, past president of the American Heart Association and CEO of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “Hospitals that follow the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols often see improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities.”

To learn more, visit MyFryeRegional.com.

If you or a loved one is experiencing the signs or symptoms of a heart attack, call 9-1-1 immediately and go directly to the emergency room.