Improvement Stories
"Time is Muscle:" Reducing Door-to-Balloon Time Can Save Lives of Heart Attack Patients
* Gresham Outlook Article
Why Does Door-to-Balloon Matter to High-Quality Heart Attack Care?
Every minute counts when a patient suffers a severe heart attack. Indeed, "time is muscle" as for every minute blood flow to the heart is blocked, heart muscle is being deprived of oxygen. A patient's chances of survival depend on the medical center having well-coordinated and efficient processes that move patients from the ambulance, through the Emergency Department, and into the cardiac catheterization lab to have the blockage removed. Studies have established a national benchmark called door-to-balloon time, which measures how quickly a patient moves from the emergency room to the Catheterization Lab. The current goal for medical center "door-to-balloon" performance is considered to be 90 minutes or less.
How Did Adventist Medical Center Reduce Door-to-Balloon Time?
Reducing door-to-balloon time requires the extensive coordination between ambulance personnel, the Emergency Department and Cardiac Catheterization Lab personnel. By establishing standard processes, patients can be moved quickly through each essential step of their care. The medical center team is making steady progress. One of the many solutions implemented include working with Portland EMS and private ambulance companies to have them call ahead when a potential heart attack patient is en route to the medical center.
