title: Effect of continuous quality improvement analysis on the delivery of primary percutaneous revascularization for acute myocardial infarction: a community hospital experience.
abstract: As time to reperfusion correlates with outcomes, a door-to-balloon time of 90 +/- 30 min for primary percutaneous coronary revascularization (PCI) for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction has been recently established as a guideline by the ACC/AHA. The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of a continuous quality assurance program designed to expedite primary angioplasty at a community hospital. A database of all primary PCI procedures was created in 1998. Two groups of consecutive patients treated with primary PCI were studied. Group 1 represented patients in the time period between 1 June 1998 to 1 November 1998 and group 2 represented patients in the period between 1 January 2000 and 16 June 2000. Continuous quality assurance analysis was performed. Modifications to the primary angioplasty program were initiated in the latter group. Time intervals to certain treatment landmarks were compared between the groups. Significant decreases in the time intervals from emergency room registration to initial electrocardiogram (8.4 +/- 8.2 vs. 3.7 +/- 19.5 min; P < 0.001), presentation to the catheterization laboratory to arterial access (13.5 +/- 12.9 vs. 11.6 +/- 5.8 min; P < 0.001), and emergency room registration to initial angioplasty balloon inflation (132.0 +/- 69.2 vs. 112 +/- 72.0 min; P < 0.001) were achieved. For the subgroup of patients presenting with diagnostic ST elevation myocardial infarction, a large decrease in the door-to-balloon time interval between group 1 and group 2 was demonstrated (114.15 +/- 9.67 vs. 87.92 +/- 10.93 min; P = NS), resulting in compliance with ACC/AHA guidelines. Continuous quality improvement analysis can expedite care for patients treated by primary PCI in the community hospital setting.
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, St. Joseph's Hospital, Syracuse, New York, USA. caputo331@msn.com
authors.forename: Ronald P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Caputo
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kosinski
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Walford
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giambartolomei
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Reger
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simons
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Esente
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003422:Critical Care / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality / Q000639:trends; D006764:Hospitals, Community / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015996:Survival Rate; D017749:Total Quality Management; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States