When Seconds Matter

UNMH honored for outstanding care for cardiac patients

The American Heart Association has recognized the University of New Mexico Hospital for saving and improving the lives of patients susceptible to cardiac emergencies.

"Its kind of a nice deal to be part of a larger good," says Warren Laskey, MD, chief of the Division of Cardiology.

The two awards - "Mission: Lifeline" and "Get With The Guidelines: Heart Failure" - demonstrate the hospital's quick execution of critical care for patients susceptible to heart attacks, strokes and cardiac arrests. "We save lives," Laskey says.

It takes a team of 80 people from many disciplines to work toward improving patient care and outcomes that include lowering cardiac deaths and reducing readmissions, according to Laskey. "They bring it all home."

The hospital, which is required to provide evidence of commitment to quality care to the national group, has an Information Technology team that crunches all the numbers.

"Without the excellent data collection, management and analytics, the measure of quality and outcomes would not be possible," Laskey says.

"The awards represent many, many years of effort on the part of a lot of people," he notes.

Over the past decade the national group has recognized the hospital for its continued work in improving patient care and outcomes in the community.

To learn more please call (505) 272-4253 or visit the UNM Division of Cardiology.