Once again, Freeman Hearts & Vascular Institute has earned the coveted Level 1 STEMI Center designation. The hospital had to demonstrate it has the providers and resources needed to treat STEMI patients, and its physicians and staff have met and will continue to demonstrate proficiency in the latest proven STEMI standards and meet strict standards of education. 

STEMI is a common name for ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction, a serious heart attack in which one of the heart’s main arteries is blocked. 

Freeman has a door-to-balloon time of less than 55 minutes, significantly lower than the 90-minute recommendation from the American Heart Association. Door-to-balloon time is a time measurement that starts when a patient with a cardiac emergency arrives at the emergency department and ends with the inflation of a balloon inside the blocked coronary artery. Time is muscle – the more time it takes to correct the problem, the more permanent damage the heart muscle can sustain.

Freeman has received and consistently maintained Level 1 honors since 2017 to the present. Each new designation is valid for three years. Therefore, Freeman will remain a STEMI Level 1 hospital through 2026. 

The STEMI Level 1 designation is a testament to our teamwork at Freeman. The collaboration that takes place with every STEMI patient to ensure that we are providing highly efficient care, without sacrificing quality. Freeman is specifically equipped to treat STEMI patients – improving both speed and quality of care – by coordinating 911 response system, ambulance services and hospitals in a comprehensive, integrated approach.

There are an estimated 550,000 new heart attacks and 200,000 repeat heart attacks (meaning the person has had one before) heart attacks in the U.S. each year, according to the American Heart Association. About 38% of people who go to the emergency room with acute coronary syndrome were diagnosed with a STEMI. That means there are a over 280,000 people who have a STEMI in the U.S. each year. To prevent death, it is critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, either by mechanically opening the blocked vessel or by providing clot-busting medication. Studies show patients can recover better when health care providers consistently follow treatment guidelines.

In addition to the Level 1 STEMI recognition, Freeman also received in 2023 the Platinum Performance Achievement Award for Chest Pain – MI Registry from the American College of Cardiology, as well as the Quality Achievement Awards Mission Lifeline: STEMI Gold Plus and NSTEMI Gold awards from the American Heart Association.

Michelle Wolfe is the STEMI Coordinator for Freeman Heart & Vascular Institute, which provides nationally recognized care for Joplin and surrounding areas. To find out more, give the Institute a call at 417.347.5000 or visit freemanhealth.com/specialty/heart-vascular-care.