Gundersen once again recognized for heart attack treatment

Gundersen once again recognized for heart attack treatment

The American College of Cardiologyhas once again recognized Gundersen Health Systemas one of the country's top hospitals for the treatment of heart attack patients.

Gundersen was awarded the organization's 2024 National Cardiovascular Data Registry(NCDR) Chest Pain-MI Registry Gold Performance Achievement Award. This is Gundersen's fifth consecutive year being recognized by the organization. To receive the award, Gundersen had to meet specific and rigorous criteria and follow best practice guidelines proven to improve the overall quality of cardiovascular care provided to patients having a heart attack (myocardial infarction). Warangkana Chokesuwattanaskul, MD, interventional cardiologist and medical director of Gundersen's Priority One (P1) Heart Attack Program, says the honor spotlights Gundersen's commitment to providing patients with the highest quality of cardiovascular care.

"These awards are truly evidence of our outstanding hard work and our commitment to delivering the highest quality cardiovascular care to transform heart health," says Dr. Chokesuwattanaskul.

For nearly 20 years, Gundersen has implemented a P1 program when responding to patients having a heart attack with ST elevation myocardial infarction, in which a majority of those patients have total or subtotal occlusion (blockage) of a coronary artery. When a patient experiences this type of heart attack, the goal of the P1 program is to get the patient into the catheterization laboratory within 90 minutes or 120 minutes if outside the immediate La Crosse area to open their blocked vessel.

Outside of Gundersen's Heart Institute, there is a network of at least 20 regional response partners, including field activation teams who are an integral part of the success in taking care of patients with a heart attack (both ST elevation myocardial infarction and Non-ST elevation myocardial infarction). This includes Gundersen Emergency Services, regional critical access hospitals, GundersenAir, Gundersen Ambulance, Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance, telecommunications teams, and others who help get the patient to the catheterization laboratory as soon as possible.

Dr. Chokesuwattanaskul says the exceptional teamwork saves lives and improves patient outcomes.

"I would like to take this opportunity to recognize and appreciate our own internal core team including our cardiologists and staff in the catheterization laboratory who have worked 24-7 with admirable passion and unrelenting efforts to save uncountable lives," says Dr. Chokesuwattanaskul. "It is such a blessing to collaborate with people who honor lives, take pride to deliver the highest standard of care and continue to make a difference. It is also to give a round of applause to our inpatient teams in the cardiopulmonary unit, intensive care unit, cardiotesting staff as well as our cardiac rehabilitation team."

Gundersen's cardiac care teams support the care of patients by delivering the utmost standard of care while a patient recovers in the hospital. That care continues as the patient prepares to be discharged, with the care teams ensuring the patient is sent home with the appropriate medications and is scheduled for necessary follow-up appointments including cardiac rehabilitation.

"Lives matter and everyone on our team matters. Therefore, it is indeed a noteworthy achievement for everyone." says Dr. Chokesuwattanaskul.

The Heart Institute's consistent achievements have not gone unnoticed by Bellinand Gundersen Health System administration and staff.

"We are so proud of our Heart team's relentless commitment to delivering excellent care to our patients and community," says Stephanie Neuman, MD, Medical Vice President, Ambulatory Services.

"This team's passion to deliver the highest quality care has an incredible impact-they save lives every day," added Rachel Albrecht, Administrative Vice President, Ambulatory Services.