title: Study: time for a new focus in QI efforts for STEMI patients.
abstract: A new study suggests that the ardent focus in recent years on reducing door-to-balloon times in STEMI patients has had little, if any, impact on the mortality rate. Investigators conclude that quality improvement efforts should now shift to other factors, such as public education regarding STEMI symptoms and response times during the prehospital phase. In an analysis of 100,000 STEMI admissions across the country, investigators found that the percentage of STEMI patients receiving care in 90 minutes or less improved from 59.5% to 83.1% between 2005 and 2009. Despite improvements in door-to-balloon times, the mortality rate remained unchanged at 4.8%. Experts suggest new quality improvement efforts should focus on getting patients to recognize and respond to STEMI symptoms more quickly. The average STEMI patient waits two hours before presenting to the hospital for care.
mesh_terms: D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D058996:Quality Improvement; D061665:Time-to-Treatment; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology