UNC Health Southeastern Among Nation’s Top Performing Hospitals for Treatment of Heart Attack Patients

UNC Health Southeastern Among Nation's Top Performing Hospitals for Treatment of Heart Attack Patients

American College of Cardiology NCDR Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award recognizes sustained, high-level performance in quality of care

UNC Health Southeastern has received the American College of Cardiology's NCDR Chest Pain - MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2026. The hospital is one of only 350 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.

The award recognizes UNC Health Southeastern's commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients and signifies that UNC Health Southeastern has reached an aggressive goal of treating these patients to standard levels of care as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.

"This national recognition reflects the extraordinary dedication of our physicians, nurses, and support teams who care for heart attack patients around the clock," said UNC Health Southeastern President and CEO Chris Ellington. "Earning Platinum status from the American College of Cardiology confirms that our patients are receiving care that meets the highest national standards. We are proud to serve our community with this level of excellence and remain committed to continually improving heart care for the people of Robeson County and the surround region."

To receive the Chest Pain - MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award, UNC Health Southeastern has demonstrated sustained achievement in the Chest Pain - MI Registry for two consecutive years (2024 and 2025) and performed at the highest level for specific performance measures. Full participation in the registry engages hospitals in a robust quality improvement process using data to drive improvements in adherence to guideline recommendations and overall quality of care provided to heart attack patients.

"We are proud to present UNC Health Southeastern with the Platinum Performance Achievement Award in recognition of its national leadership and steadfast commitment to meeting comprehensive performance measures in patient care," Leslie L. Davis, PhD, ANP-BC, FACC, chair of the NCDR Chest Pain - MI Registry Steering Subcommittee. UNC Health Southeastern's achievement reflects its ongoing focus on providing high-quality, guideline-driven care for patients who experience a heart attack and helping ensure they receive exceptional cardiovascular care."

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that over 800,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. A heart attack occurs when a blood clot in a coronary artery partially or completely blocks blood flow to the heart muscle. Treatment guidelines include administering aspirin upon arrival and discharge, timely restoration of blood flow to the blocked artery, smoking cessation counseling and cardiac rehabilitation, among others.

"When someone is having a heart attack, every second counts, and every step in their care must be precise and evidence-based," said Cardiologist John Brooks, MD, of UNC Health Southeastern Cardiology and Cardiovascular Care. "This award recognizes the disciplined teamwork behind the scenes, EMS, emergency department staff, cardiology, nursing, and rehabilitation, all working from the same playbook of proven guidelines. Most importantly, it means our patients and their families can trust that they are receiving some of the best, guideline-driven heart attack care available anywhere in the country."

Chest Pain - MI Registry empowers health care provider teams to consistently treat heart attack patients according to the most current, science-based guidelines and establishes a national standard for understanding and improving the quality, safety and outcomes of care provided for patients with coronary artery disease, specifically high-risk heart attack patients.

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) is the global leader in transforming cardiovascular care and improving heart health for all. As the preeminent source of professional medical education for the entire cardiovascular care team since 1949, ACC credentials cardiovascular professionals in over 140 countries who meet stringent qualifications and leads in the formation of health policy, standards and guidelines. Through its world-renowned family of JACC Journals, NCDR registries, ACC Accreditation Services, global network of Member Sections, CardioSmart patient resources and more, the College is committed to ensuring a world where science, knowledge and innovation optimize patient care and outcomes. Learn more at www.ACC.org or follow @ACCinTouch.