All four of Main Line Health's acute care hospitals are the recipients of the 2021 American Heart Association (AHA) Mission: Lifeline award. Each hospital independently received these recognitions by implementing quality improvement measures that ensure cardiovascular patients receive efficient and coordinated care, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer returns to the hospital.

"I am extremely proud of Main Line Health for this recognition from the AHA. Main Line Health is dedicated to improving the quality of care for our patients who suffer a heart attack. The Mission: Lifeline program helps put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis to improve outcomes for cardiovascular patients," said Jack Lynch, President and CEO, Main Line Health.
Nearly half of all adults in the U.S. have experienced some form of cardiovascular disease – including heart attack, stroke and heart failure. For patients with conditions that are severe enough to be transported or admitted to a hospital, time is critical.

The American Heart Association's Mission: Lifeline program helps reduce system barriers to prompt treatment for heart attacks, beginning with the 9-1-1 call, to EMS transport and continuing through hospital treatment and discharge. Optimal care for heart attack patients takes coordination between the individual hospital, EMS and healthcare system. The initiative provides tools, training and other resources to support heart attack care following protocols from the most recent evidence-based treatment guidelines.

William A. Gray, MD, System Chief of Cardiovascular Diseases and President of Lankenau Heart Institute, added, "We are extremely honored to receive this prestigious recognition from the AHA. It is the culmination of a lot of teamwork, attention to optimizing processes, and dedication to providing the best care possible to heart attack patients---regardless of where they enter Main Line Health."

"EMTs and paramedics play a vital part in the system of care for those who have heart attacks," said Robert P. Girardeau, MSM-HCA, NRP, FP-C, System Director, Emergency Medical Services & Patient Transportation Services at Main Line Health. "Since they often are the first medical point of contact, they can save precious minutes of treatment time by activating the emergency response system that alerts hospitals to an incoming heart attack patient."

The awards are presented to hospitals for implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the AHA for the treatment of patients who suffer severe heart attacks. Main Line Health hospitals earned the award by meeting specific criteria and standards of performance for quick and appropriate treatment through emergency procedures to re-establish blood flow to blocked arteries in heart attack patients coming into the hospital directly or by transfer from another facility.

Founded in 1985, Main Line Health is a not-for-profit health system serving Philadelphia and its western suburbs. Main Line Health's commitment—to deliver advanced medicine for treating and curing disease, playing an important role in prevention and disease management as well as training physicians and other health care providers—reflects our intent to be the region's premier choice for clinical care, research, and education. A team of nearly 13,000 employees and more than 2,000 physicians care for patients throughout the Main Line Health System.

At Main Line Health's core are four of the region's most respected acute care hospitals—Lankenau Medical Center, Bryn Mawr Hospital, Paoli Hospital and Riddle Hospital—as well as one of the nation's premier facilities for rehabilitative medicine, Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital.

Main Line Health also includes Mirmont Treatment Center for drug and alcohol recovery; Main Line Health HomeCare & Hospice, which includes skilled home health care, hospice and home infusion services; Main Line Health Centers, primary and specialty care, lab and radiology, and other outpatient services located in Broomall, Collegeville, Concordville, Exton, King of Prussia and Newtown Square; Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, a biomedical research organization; and Main Line HealthCare, one of the region's largest multispecialty physician networks.

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The Lankenau Heart Institute is Main Line Health's premier, comprehensive cardiovascular medicine and surgery program. Lankenau Heart Institute brings together the clinical expertise of all four Main Line Health acute care hospitals and community cardiology practices to ensure that patients receive a level of quality, service, and experience that is unprecedented in the region. Through the system-wide coordination of services, Lankenau Heart Institute delivers preventive, diagnostic, therapeutic, and rehabilitative cardiovascular services at each of our locations including Lankenau Medical Center, Bryn Mawr Hospital, Paoli Hospital and Riddle Hospital.

Lankenau Heart Institute continues to be an innovator in the use of beating-heart techniques and robotic-assisted procedures for coronary artery revascularization, minimally invasive and transcatheter approaches for valve repair and replacement, complex aortic surgery and heart rhythm disorders. With our growing experience and focus on minimally invasive techniques, Lankenau Heart Institute has expanded participation in clinical trials year over year. Our physicians are frequently invited to participate in clinical/medical device trials, many of these designed to facilitate and expand the use of minimally invasive approaches and procedures.

With a collaborative team of expert consultative cardiologists, interventional cardiologists, electrophysiologists, cardiovascular surgeons and specially trained advance practice nurses and technologists, Lankenau Heart Institute is dedicated to managing and treating patients with simple to complex cardiovascular disease, including heart failure, aortic disease, coronary and peripheral vascular disease, heart rhythm disorders and valve disease. Our team of cardiologists and cardiac specialists provide patients and their families with expert cardiac care, close to home.