Geisinger hospitals awarded by American Heart Association for heart-attack care

DANVILLE, Pa. – Four Geisinger facilities recognized by the American Heart Association for their ability to treat the most severe type of heart attack have been awarded by the organization for adhering to proven care guidelines that benefit patients. 

Geisinger Medical Center in Danville and Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre  have received the Mission: Lifeline® Gold Plus Receiving Quality Achievement Award, and Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton has received the Mission: Lifeline Gold Receiving Quality Achievement Award. The hospitals earned honors for implementing specific quality improvement measures in treating ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the deadliest type of heart attack.

Each year, more than 250,000 Americans experience a STEMI, which is caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. To prevent death, it’s critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, either by mechanically opening the blocked vessel or by providing clot-busting medication. 

The Mission: Lifeline program’s goal is to reduce barriers to swift treatment for heart attacks, beginning with the 911 call, to EMS transport and continuing through hospital treatment and discharge. The initiative provides tools, training and other resources to support heart-attack care, following protocols from the most recent evidence-based treatment guidelines. 

As Mission: Lifeline Heart Attack Receiving Centers, the hospitals have shown they meet or exceed quality of care measures for restoring blood flow in STEMI patients, and their achievement awards are the result of maintaining a standard of performance in delivering quick, appropriate, lifesaving care to patients coming into the hospitals directly or by transfer from another facility. 

“Our hospitals are dedicated to providing optimal care for heart-attack patients,” said Alfred Casale, M.D., chief medical officer, Geisinger surgical services. “Geisinger’s STEMI program was designed to achieve these same goals, and we’ve been proud to be recognized by the American Heart Association for our dedication and achievement in cardiac care since Mission Lifeline was launched.”

“We commend Geisinger for following evidence-based guidelines for timely heart-attack treatment,” said Tim Henry, M.D., chair of the Mission: Lifeline Acute Coronary Syndrome Subcommittee. “We applaud the significant institutional commitment to their critical role in the system of care for quickly and appropriately treating heart-attack patients.”

About Geisinger
Geisinger is among the nation’s leading providers of value-based care, serving 1.2 million people in urban and rural communities across Pennsylvania. Founded in 1915 by philanthropist Abigail Geisinger, the non-profit system generates $10 billion in annual revenues across 134 care sites - including 10 hospital campuses, and Geisinger Health Plan, with 600,000 members in commercial and government plans. The Geisinger College of Health Sciences educates more than 5,000 medical professionals annually and conducts more than 1,400 clinical research studies. With 26,000 employees, including 1,600 employed physicians, Geisinger is among Pennsylvania’s largest employers with an estimated economic impact of $14 billion to the state’s economy. On March 31, 2024, Geisinger became the first member of Risant Health, a new nonprofit charitable organization created to expand and accelerate value-based care across the country.  Learn more at geisinger.org or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.