Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI Silver recognition for its commitment to offering rapid, research-based care to people experiencing a specific type of heart attack known as a non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).

Each year, more than 1 million cases of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) require hospitalization in the U.S., and about 70% of ACS cases are classified as NSTEMI, caused by a complete blockage in a coronary artery.[1],[2]

“The American Heart Association has developed guidelines for a NSTEMI heart attack. These guidelines include specific recommendations for in-hospital care and cardiac rehabilitation post-discharge,” said Abhinav Goyal, M.D., MHS, FACC, FAHA, volunteer chair of the American Heart Association Coronary Artery Disease System of Care Advisory Group.

The NSTEMI award is earned by hospitals that demonstrate a commitment to treating patients according to the most up-to-date research-based guidelines for NSTEMI care as outlined by the American Heart Association.

“I am proud to be one of the many experienced and talented cardiologists to take care of the patients with Non-STEMI MI at Pikeville Medical Center, said Dr. Raymon K Nelson, Cardiologist at the Heart and Vascular Institute. “At PMC, we pride ourselves on positively impacting the damaging effects that Non-STEMI (heart attacks) have on the Eastern Kentucky community. Early recognition and treatment of NSTEMI heart attacks at Pikeville Medical Center benefits thousands of patients every year.”

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Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Coronary Artery Disease Rural Gold Level Recognition for its commitment to offering rapid, research-based care to people experiencing a specific type of heart attack known as an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), known to be more severe and dangerous than other types of heart attacks.

Each year, more than 1 million cases of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) require hospitalization in the U.S., and about 30% of ACS cases are classified as STEMI, caused by a complete blockage in a coronary artery.^[1] Like all heart attacks, this requires timely treatment to restore blood flow as quickly as possible.

“When someone experiences a STEMI heart attack, American Heart Association guidelines call for specific actions performed in the hospital in a consistent and timely fashion to prevent further myocardial damage and to save lives,” said Karen E. Joynt Maddox, M.D., MPH, co-author on the American Heart Association’s presidential advisory on rural health. “Where you live should not determine if you live, and rural communities deserve high-quality cardiac care. Pikeville Medical Center is recognized for consistently providing these patients with the care, guidance and medical therapy they need to give them the best chance of survival.”

The Get With The Guidelines – Coronary Artery Disease Rural Recognition award is earned by hospitals that demonstrate a commitment to treating patients according to the most up-to-date research-based guidelines for STEMI care as outlined by the American Heart Association.

“We are proud that our team at Pikeville Medical Center is being recognized for the important work we do every day to improve the lives of people in Eastern Kentucky who experience heart attack, giving them the best possible chance of recovery and survival,” said Jamessa Scott, Performance Improvement Nurse Practitioner. “As a hospital in a rural community, we deal with characteristics, such as extended interfacility transportation times and limited staffing resources. We’ve made it a goal to make sure those hurdles do not affect the standard of care our patients receive.”

The award recognizes hospitals for their efforts toward STEMI care excellence demonstrated by composite score compliance with guideline-directed care, including timely electrocardiogram and transfer, aspirin administration, administration of thrombolytic therapy, receptor inhibitor and anticoagulant, and more.

“We set a goal of achieving Gold Status for Rural STEMI Care for PMC this year, and we successfully accomplished it,” said Scott, Performance Improvement Nurse Practitioner. “I am in awe of the team we have here at PMC. This award speaks volumes about the dedication, hard work and commitment every team member brings to the care of some of our sickest patients.”

[1] Akbar H, Foth C, Kahloon RA, Mountfort S. Acute ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI). StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; January 2024. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532281/.

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Cardiac rehabilitation is a vital component of the healing process for patients who have experienced heart-related problems. The American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) reports that cardiac rehab patients are nearly 60% less likely to experience a cardiac-related death, which is a reassuring statistic for cardiac patients.

The Heart and Vascular Institute of Eastern Kentucky at Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) is widely recognized on a state and national level for the advanced technology and experienced group of specialized providers available to treat patients during a cardiac emergency. However, this experienced team of surgeons, specialists and support staff also makes headlines with the care offered to patients during their recovery from a cardiac event.

The Heart and Vascular Institute of Eastern Kentucky was recently notified by the AACVPR that its cardiovascular rehabilitation program had received certification following an extensive review process. AACVPR program certification is the only peer-review accreditation process designed to review individual programs for adherence to specific standards and guidelines.

AACVPR-certified programs are recognized as leaders in the cardiac rehabilitation field because they have been identified as having proven track records of providing high-quality patient care and meet strict performance measurements which have led to better patient outcomes.

For more information about the cardiac rehabilitation program at Pikeville Medical Center, visit https://www.pmcky.org/heart/cardiac-rehab/, call 606-430-8771 or scan the code provided.

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Percutaneous coronary intervention is also known as coronary angioplasty, a non-surgical procedure that opens narrowed or blocked coronary arteries with a balloon to relieve symptoms of heart disease or reduce heart damage during or after a heart attack.

Hospitals that have proven exceptional competency in treating patients who require cardiac catheterization have taken appropriate steps to promote quality and patient safety, and that care in the procedure room for sedation, infection control, radiation safety, universal protocol and time-out procedures is fully coordinated. They have mastered the transfer to a cath recovery unit to better monitor and track complications, enhance physician-to-patient communication, patient-family communication, discharge instructions and follow-up information.

“Pikeville Medical Center has demonstrated its commitment to providing Eastern Kentucky and surrounding regions with excellent heart care,” said Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, FACC, chair of the ACC Accreditation Management Board. “ACC Accreditation Services is proud to award PMC with Cardiac Cath Lab Accreditation with PCI.”

Hospitals receiving Cardiac Cath Lab Accreditation with PCI from the ACC must take part in a multi-faceted clinical process that involves: completing a gap analysis; examining variances of care; developing an action plan; a rigorous onsite review; and monitoring for sustained success. Facilities that achieve accreditation meet or exceed an array of stringent criteria and have organized a team of doctors, nurses, clinicians and other administrative staff who earnestly support efforts leading to improved patient outcomes.

“We have worked diligently to meet and raise the standard for cardiac treatment year after year,” said PMC Cardiac Performance Improvement Nurse Practitioner Jamessa Scott. “I am grateful to work at a facility that strives to provide the best care possible to its patients, and receiving accreditations such as this is proof of that testament.”

PMC’s catheterization lab began as a mobile catheterization lab in 1992 as part of the cardiovascular service line. After many years of hard work and dedication to providing quality cardiovascular care to the region, PMC opened the Heart and Vascular Institute of Eastern Kentucky in 2019. The state-of-the-art facility added three catheterization labs to the two existing electrophysiology (EP) labs. The PMC cardiac cath labs allow specialists to perform various cardiac, vascular and EP procedures. These include but are not limited to transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), WATCHMAN, acute myocardial infarction, diagnostic catheterization, peripheral intervention, cardiogenic shock requiring Impella insertion, endovascular aortic aneurysm repair, permanent pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement and laser lead extractions.

PMC’s average “door to balloon” (D2B) time is 56 minutes, which is the time between a patient’s arrival in the emergency department (ED) and when a stent is placed. That is more than 30 minutes under the ACC’s recommended guidelines of 90 minutes. PMC streamlined its process by bringing ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients directly to the cath lab via the use of ED staff, emergency medical services staff and inpatient nurses. All STEMI patients from the ED are transported directly across the hall to the cath lab by ED staff, reducing D2B time by about 10 minutes. All transfers and STEMI patients from the field are brought directly to the cath lab, bypassing the ED completely.

The ACC offers U.S. and international hospitals access to a comprehensive suite of cardiac accreditation services designed to optimize patient outcomes and improve hospital financial performance. These services are focused on all aspects of cardiac care, including the cath lab.

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Cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation programs are designed to help people with cardiovascular problems (e.g., heart attacks, coronary artery bypass graft surgery) and pulmonary problems (e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD], respiratory symptoms) recover faster and live healthier.  Both programs include exercise, education, counseling and support for patients and their families.

To earn accreditation, PMC’s cardiovascular rehabilitation program participated in an application process that requires extensive documentation of the program’s practices. AACVPR Program Certification is the only peer-review accreditation process designed to review individual programs for adherence to standards and guidelines developed and published by AACVPR and other related professional societies. Each program’s application is reviewed by the AACVPR Program Certification Committee, and certification is awarded by the AACVPR Board of Directors.

“The Cardiac Rehab program we have created at PMC is second to none,” said PMC Cardiac Diagnostic Practice Manager Tabitha Hamilton, RN. “Our patients love participating in the program. It creates healthy habits for those who have suffered a cardiac incident and has been proven to improve their quality of life. It is an honor to receive this accreditation after working so diligently to provide top-notch care to our region.”

In 2018, AACVPR moved to an outcomes-based process with performance measurements that represent more meaningful outcomes. Therefore, AACVPR-certified programs are leaders in the cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation field because they offer the most advanced practices available and have proven track records of high-quality patient care. AACVPR Program Certification is valid for three years.

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Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) has received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® STEMI Receiving Center Bronze recognition for its commitment to offering rapid, research-based care to people experiencing a specific type of heart attack known as an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), known to be more severe and dangerous than other types of heart attacks.

Each year, approximately 285,000 people in the U.S. experience this type of heart attack, caused by a complete blockage in a coronary artery.  Nearly 40% of people who go to the emergency room with acute coronary syndrome are diagnosed with a STEMI. Like all heart attacks, this requires timely treatment to restore blood flow as quickly as possible.

Mission: Lifeline is a national, community-based initiative improving systems of care for patients with STEMI, non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), stroke and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The program focuses on streamlining processes to speed the delivery of proper treatment for time-sensitive, neuro-cardiovascular disease states.

Recognition as a Mission: Lifeline Receiving Center is designed to showcase hospitals that provide 24/7 support for STEMI. These important facilities coordinate with a network of referring hospitals and emergency medical services to provide guideline-directed STEMI and NSTEMI care.

“Pikeville Medical Center is dedicated to improving the quality of cardiac care offered in Eastern Kentucky. The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program is one way that we are achieving that goal,” said PMC Cardiac Performance Improvement Coordinator Jamessa Scott, APRN. “The Mission: Lifeline program puts proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, so patients have the best possible chance of survival.”

This particular recognition is earned by hospitals that demonstrate a commitment to treating patients according to the most up-to-date research-based guidelines for STEMI care as outlined by the American Heart Association.

“Care coordination is particularly important when someone experiences a STEMI heart attack, and American Heart Association guidelines call for specific actions in the hospital and following a hospital stay,” said James G. Jollis, M.D., volunteer for the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Coronary Artery Disease Systems of Care Advisory Work Group and cardiologist with The Christ Hospital Physicians – Heart & Vascular in Cincinnati. “Hospitals/Organizations like (Hospital Name) are recognized for consistently supporting patients with science-based treatment and care coordination, ensuring the best opportunity for recovery.”

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Unlike other publicly available award rankings, CareChex awards are based on comprehensive risk-adjustment methodology and do not include any self-reported data.  For 2023, Pikeville Medical Center has received awards in the following areas:

• Top 10% of Hospitals in the Nation for Medical Excellence:
  • Hip Fracture Care
• Top 10% of Hospitals in the State for Medical Excellence:
  • Hip Fracture Care
• Top 10% of Hospitals in the Nation for Patient Safety:
  • Heart Attack Treatment
  • Neurological Care
  • Trauma Care
• Top 10% of Hospitals in the State for Patient Safety:
  • Heart Attack Treatment
  • Neurological Care
  • Trauma Care

“We are so pleased to learn Pikeville Medical Center has once again been recognized by CareChex as a top hospital in the state and the nation,” said PMC President and CEO Donovan Blackburn.  “Recognitions in Medical Excellence and Patient Safety proves how our dedicated staff goes above and beyond to provide high quality care to our patients.”

PMC is renowned for the medical care it provides in many areas, including cardiac, orthopedic, emergency/trauma and neurological care. PMC’s Heart and Vascular Institute of Eastern Kentucky has received accreditation from the American College of Cardiology, PMC’s Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine Institute of Eastern Kentucky is accredited by the Joint Commission in hip fracture and joint replacement of both the hip and knee, PMC is recognized as the only Level II Trauma Center in the state and its Emergency Department is recognized by Women’s Choice for Best Hospital in Emergency Care, and PMC’s Eastern Kentucky Neuroscience Center is accredited by the Joint Commission and is recognized as a Primary Stroke Center.

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Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) has received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2022. PMC is one of only 240 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.

The award recognizes PMC’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients.  This also signifies that PMC has reached an aggressive goal of treating these patients to standard levels of care as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.

To receive the Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award, PMC has demonstrated sustained achievement in the Chest Pain  ̶ MI Registry and performed at the highest level 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. PMC has received the platinum award for four consecutive years (2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022).

“It is an honor to award Pikeville Medical Center with the Platinum Performance Award for their valuable national leadership and dedication to meeting comprehensive performance measures in patient 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 receipt of this award indicates that PMC remains committed to providing top quality, guideline-driven care for heart attack patients. Their success ensures patients are receiving the highest quality cardiovascular care.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that over 800,000 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.

“This award is evidence of our employees’ hard work, dedication and commitment to delivering the highest quality in cardiovascular care,” said Stephanie Hillis, AVP of Performance Improvement and Patient Safety at PMC. “I could not be prouder to work at a facility that delivers such world-class care.”

“Our team continues to raise the bar when it comes to heart care,” said PMC Cardiac Accreditation/Certification Outcomes Specialist and APRN, Jamessa Scott. “The PMC Heart and Vascular Institute has several awards and accreditations, which proves our commitment to bringing comprehensive treatments to the patients of the region. I am so proud of our team for this achievement.”

Chest Pain  ̶ MI Registry empowers health care provider teams to consistently treat heart attack patients according to the most current, science-based guidelines and establishes a national standard for understanding and improving the quality, safety and outcomes of care provided for patients with coronary artery disease, specifically high-risk heart attack patients.

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Unlike other publicly available award rankings, CareChex awards are based on comprehensive risk-adjustment methodology and do not include any self-reported data. In 2022, Pikeville Medical Center received awards in the following areas:

Top 10% of Hospitals in the Nation for Medical Excellence:

• Hip Fracture Care

Top 10% of Hospitals in the Nation for Patient Safety:

• Heart Failure Treatment
• Heart Attack Treatment

Top 10% of Hospitals in the State for Medical Excellence:

• Hip Fracture Care

Top 10% of Hospitals in the State for Patient Safety:

• Heart Failure Treatment
• Heart Attack Treatment

“We are honored to be recognized by CareChex again this year in both medical excellence and patient safety,” said PMC President and CEO Donovan Blackburn. “These recognitions are definitely earned by our dedicated staff and reinforce the message that PMC strives to provide high quality care to our patients in the region.”

PMC is renowned for the medical care it provides in many areas, including cardiac and orthopedic care. PMC’s Orthopedic Center is accredited by the Joint Commission in hip fracture and joint replacement of both the hip and knee.

“Our team feels so privileged to be able to provide specialty orthopedic care to the patients of our region,” said AVP of Physician Practices, Stormie Adkins. “This staff goes above and beyond, and it is so rewarding to see their hard work recognized on a national level.”

The PMC Heart and Vascular Institute is an accredited Level 7 Chest Pain Center with PCI and holds a full Atrial Fibrillation Accreditation.”

The PMC Heart and Vascular Institute specialists perform many advanced minimally invasive procedures not performed elsewhere in Eastern Kentucky.

“At the PMC Heart and Vascular Institute, we strive for excellence and put our patients first,” said Johnny Webb, Director of the PMC Cardiac Cath Lab. “Receiving an award which places us among the top 10% of hospitals in the country provides us with the assurance that we are both meeting and exceeding our expectations.”

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PMC is the second medical center in the state to obtain this accreditation, which signifies PMC’s commitment to the region.

“We have been working for years to continually improve our cath lab and the services we can provide,” explained Director of the PMC Cardiac Cath Lab, Johnny Webb. “Patients come to PMC from several hours away because we are the regional referral center.”

The process to receive the PCI accreditation is comprehensive, and took approximately a year to complete. Medical facilities that achieve this accreditation meet or exceed very strict criteria set forth by the ACC. PCI accreditation is valid for a three year period.

In 2018, PMC installed three new state-of-the-art cardiac cath labs, which were partially funded by a grant through the Economic Development Administration. The new cath labs were part of a monumental $35.2 million expansion of the PMC Heart and Vascular Institute. These advancements have contributed to PMC’s recognition as having one of the top heart programs in Kentucky.

For more information, visit PMC’s Heart and Vascular Institute pages.

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