Aspirus St. Luke's Honored with Two Mission: Lifeline Awards

St. Luke’s has received the 2017 Mission: Lifeline® STEMI Gold Receiving Quality Achievement Award and NSTEMI Silver Achievement Award for heart attacks. St. Luke’s earned the awards for its commitment and success in implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association for the treatment of patients who suffer severe heart attacks.

“Our excellent team of medical professionals at St. Luke’s and our incredible EMS partners work constantly to improve the quality of care for our patients who suffer a heart attack,” said Dr. Scott Mikesell, a physician with St. Luke’s Cardiology Associates, director of St. Luke’s Cardiac Cath Lab, and co-chair of Mission: Lifeline® Minnesota. “We’re committed to delivering our patients the best care possible which is why we strive to adhere to the nationally recognized clinical guidelines established by Mission: Lifeline®.”

Each year in the United States, approximately 250,000 people have a STEMI, or ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction. It is the deadliest type of heart attack and is caused by a complete blockage of blood flow to the heart. To prevent death, it’s critical to immediately restore blood flow, either by surgically opening the blocked vessel or by giving 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 and continuing through hospital treatment.