Heart Attack Outcomes
What is a Heart Attack?
A heart attack, also called an acute myocardial infarction (AMI), occurs when an area of heart muscle dies or is permanently damaged because of an inadequate supply of oxygen to that area.
Learn more about Heart Attack.
How is Care Measured?
When someone is having a heart attack, timely, clear-cut treatment is critical. Evidence has shown that patients who received specific treatments and medications at certain times experienced the best outcomes. These procedures and medications include:
- Aspirin at arrival;
- Aspirin at discharge;
- ACE Inhibitor or ARB for Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction (LVSD);
- Fibrinolytic medication within 30 minutes of arrival;
- Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) within 90 minutes of arrival;
- Smoking cessation advice/counseling.
University Hospitals Case Medical Center either exceeds or matches the national average of heart attack care standards achieved by the nation’s top hospitals.
You may view the details for each measurement by visiting the Health and Human Services web site called “Hospital Compare”.
Heart Attack
| UH Case Medical Center Hospital Process of Care Measure |
Percentage for UH Case Medical Center |
State Average |
National Average |
| Percent of Heart Attack Patients Given Aspirin at Arrival |
100% |
99% |
99% |
| Percent of Heart Attack Patients Given Aspirin at Discharge |
100% |
99% |
99% |
| Percent of Heart Attack Patients Given Ace Inhibitor or ARB for Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction (LVSD) |
100% |
97% |
96% |
| Percent of Heart Attack Patients Given Smoking Cessation Advice/Counseling |
100% |
100% |
100% |
| Percent of Heart Attack Patients Given Beta Blocker at Discharge |
99% |
99% |
98% |
How is Process of Care Measured?
University Hospitals participates in the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC): a nationwide alliance of academic medical centers and their affiliated hospitals. This group represents approximately 90 percent of the nation’s nonprofit academic medical centers.
The UHC maintains a comparative database of health care measures which have been established to indicate the overall quality of commonly-performed medical procedures. Criteria for measuring heart attack outcomes include:
Mortality Rate
Why is this important to you as a patient?
Mortality rate is an indicator of good patient care process.
A lower number is better.
How Do We Compare Outcomes?
UH Case Medical Center participates in the UHC comparative database along with more than 100 other academic centers across the country. The national comparison shown below compares our outcomes to those of other nationally-recognized academic medical centers.
Results:
UH Case Medical Center’s AMI mortality rate is better than expected.
Heart Attack – Mortality (%)
A lower number is better.
Source: University HealthSystem Consortium
Range: October 2010 - September 2011
Heart Attack (AMI): Patient Experience
Patient experience is measured by the following criteria:
- Length of stay
- Readmission to the Hospital
Length of Stay as a Quality Measure
Why is this important to you as a patient?
This measure indicates the number of days a patient spends in the hospital. A shorter length of stay usually indicates more efficient and effective care. It means the patient can return home faster to recuperate in a familiar, more comfortable surrounding. A shorter stay in the hospital is also generally less disruptive for the patient and his or her family.
How Do We Compare Outcomes?
UH Case Medical Center participates in the UHC comparative database along with more than 100 other academic centers across the country. The national comparison shown below compares our outcomes to those of other nationally-recognized academic medical centers.
Results:
UH Case Medical Center’s average length of stay for AMI is higher than expected.
Heart Attack – Length of Stay (Days)
A lower number is better.
Source: University HealthSystem Consortium
Range: October 2010 - September 2011
Readmission to the Hospital as a Quality Measure
Why is this important to you as a patient?
This measure indicates the number of patients who are discharged from the hospital and then readmitted within 30 days of their discharge. A lower number indicates more efficient and effective care.
How Do We Compare Outcomes?
UH Case Medical Center participates in the UHC comparative database along with more than 100 other academic centers across the country. The national comparison shown below compares our outcomes to those of other nationally-recognized academic medical centers.
Results:
UH Case Medical Center is better than the national average for readmission.
Heart Attack – Readmissions in 30 Days (%)
A lower number is better.
Source: University HealthSystem Consortium
Range: October 2010 - September 2011
