UnityPoint Health – Trinity Rock Island and Bettendorf have been awarded the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2023. The hospitals are two of only 262 hospitals nationwide to receive this recognition.

The award acknowledges UnityPoint Health – Trinity’s commitment and success in employing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients. It shows that the hospital has reached an impressive goal of treating these patients to levels of care as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association’s clinical guidelines and recommendations.

“Receiving this recognition is a testament to the hard work, commitment and professionalism of our highly skilled team members who care for those who are experiencing a heart event. We are honored to be recognized for the hard work that our team members and providers put in every day to take care of the community,” said Kathy Pulley, director of cardiology services at UnityPoint Health – Trinity Heart Center.

UnityPoint Health – Trinity demonstrated sustained achievement in the Chest Pain – MI Registry for two consecutive years (2021 and 2022) and performed at the highest levels for specific performance measures to receive the award. By participating fully in the registry, hospitals undergo a vigorous quality improvement process that uses data to drive improvements in following guideline recommendations and the overall quality of care provided to heart attack patients.

“It’s an honor to receive the Platinum Performance Achievement Award which highlights our dedication to meeting comprehensive performance measures in patient care,” said Jeff Carstens, MD, MBA, FACC, cardiology service line medical director, UnityPoint Health. “We are thrilled to offer this level of quality heart care to the Quad Cities community. Our vision has always been to provide the best outcome to every patient, every time and we are thankful for this award that shows we are reaching our goals.”

“The receipt of this award indicates that UnityPoint Health – Trinity remains committed to providing top quality, guideline-driven care for heart attack patients. Their success ensures patients are receiving the highest quality cardiovascular care,” said Michael C. Kontos, MD, FACC, chair of the NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Steering Subcommittee, and cardiologist at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center.

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that more than 800,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. A heart attack happens when a blood clot in a coronary artery partially or completely blocks blood flow to the heart. Treatment guidelines include giving aspirin upon arrival and discharge, restoring blood flow to the blocked artery, smoking cessation counseling, cardiac rehabilitation and more.

For more information on UnityPoint Health – Trinity Heart Center’s cardiac care, click here.