Manatee Memorial Hospital’s ER at Bayshore Gardens Is Now Nationally Recognized for Its Commitment to Quality Care for Heart Attacks

Manatee Memorial Hospital's freestanding emergency department, ER at Bayshore Gardens, (located on 14^th Street West) has received the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines^® - Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Referring Center Bronze recognition for its commitment to offering rapid, research-based care to people experiencing a specific type of heart attack known as an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), known to be more severe and dangerous than other types of heart attacks.

Each year, more than one million cases of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) require hospitalization in the U.S., and about 30% of ACS cases are classified as STEMI, caused by a complete blockage in a coronary artery.^[1] Like all heart attacks, this requires timely treatment to restore blood flow as quickly as possible.

Recognition as a STEMI Referring Center is designed to showcase hospitals of every size on the front lines of care that do not have 24/7 cardiac catheterization lab availability but work in collaboration with emergency medical services to ensure patients receive guideline-directed STEMI and NSTEMI care.

The STEMI Referring Center award is earned by hospitals that demonstrate a commitment to getting patients the most up-to-date research-based care for STEMI as outlined by the American Heart Association.

"Manatee Memorial is dedicated to improving the quality of heart care, and the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines program helps us achieve that goal," said Andy Guz, CEO. "The program puts proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, so patients have the best possible chance of survival."

[1] Akbar H, Foth C, Kahloon RA, Mountfort S. Acute ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI). StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; January 2024. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532281/.