Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital among Nation’s Top Performing Hospitals for Treatment of Heart Attack Patients

Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital was recently selected as one of 225 hospitals nationwide to receive the National Cardiovascular Data Registry’s 2019 Chest Pain - MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award. The award is given to recognize the commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.

In order to receive this award, a hospital must sustain achievement in the Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry for eight consecutive quarters and perform at the top level of standards for specific performance measures. Full participation in the registry engages hospitals in a robust quality improvement process using data to drive improvements in adherence to guideline recommendations and overall quality of care provided to heart attack patients.

“As a Platinum Performance Award recipient, Lake Forest Hospital has established itself as a leader in setting the national standard for improving quality of care in patients with acute myocardial infarction,” said Michael C. Kontos, MD, FACC, chair of the NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Steering Subcommittee, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. “By meeting the award requirements set forth in the registry, Lake Forest Hospital has demonstrated a commitment to providing reliable, comprehensive treatment for heart attack patients based on current clinical guideline recommendations.”

Lake Forest Hospital also recently completed its first atrial fibrillation ablation procedure. Prior to the opening of the new facility, patients had to travel downtown to Northwestern Memorial Hospital or other locations to receive the procedure. In addition, the heart failure and interventional services teams also successfully implanted the first CardioMEMS device at the hospital. A CardioMEMS is a monitoring device that is deployed in the pulmonary artery that allows non-invasive monitoring of pulmonary artery pressures, which helps to guide medical therapy in patients with heart failure.

“The Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute team at Lake Forest Hospital continues to be recognized for their dedication to improving quality care for their patients in the face of significant growth,” said Ian Cohen MD, FACC, FSCAI, Charles and Barbara Strang Medical Director Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute North Region. “Our new, state-of-the-art cardiovascular center has allowed our cardiovascular specialists to offer the leading and most advanced cardiovascular therapeutic options at a local setting for our patients in the northern suburbs of Chicago and southern Wisconsin.”

The Center for Disease Control estimates that over 700,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. A heart attack occurs when a blood clot in a coronary artery partially or completely blocks blood flow to the heart muscle. Treatment guidelines include administering aspirin upon arrival and discharge, timely restoration of blood flow to the blocked artery, smoking cessation counseling and cardiac rehabilitation, among others.

Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute is a nationally recognized destination for those requiring highly specialized cardiovascular care. Our cardiovascular physicians and staff are committed to providing outstanding, comprehensive care for the cardiac and vascular patient.

In 2019-20, U.S. News & World Report named the cardiovascular program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital a top ten Cardiology and Heart Surgery program in the United States—a reflection of the leading-edge cardiac and vascular services we offer and the results we obtain for our patients, their families and the region we serve.

Six niche centers within Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute offer patient focused, specialized care, making Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute a leading destination for both initial diagnoses and second opinions. These niche programs include physicians, nurses and a range of multidisciplinary specialists working with patients to navigate the complex health care system, ensuring continuity of care and a seamless shift from inpatient to outpatient services and ultimately home.