St. Luke's receives recognition for its care of heart patients

St. Luke's has been listed in the US News and World Report's 2013 Best Hospitals Guide for its commitment to care of cardiac patients.

The recognition comes in two key areas of achievement, as defined by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association's Mission: Lifeline campaign.

The hospital was given a silver award for its handling of heart failure patients (achieving at least 12 months of 85 percent or higher adherence to all achievement measures applicable to heart failure cases).

St. Luke's received a second silver award for its handling of STEMI patients (achieving at least 12 months of 85 percent or higher adherence to all performance indicators for STEMI receiving centers, and 75 percent or higher compliance on all quality measures to improve the quality of care for STEMI patients).

Dr. Scott Mikesell, a cardiologist with St. Luke's Cardiology Associates, says the award is great news for patients, who can feel secure in the knowledge they have a center of excellence close to home.

"It's a marker of what we have done, but it's also a marker of where we are going and the trajectory we are on here at St. Luke's in terms of taking care of these patients," said Dr. Mikesell. "As cardiac disease is the number one killer disease of men and women in the U.S., you want to know your hospital is excellent."