The American Heart Association presents the Get With The Guidelines® – Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Referring Center Gold Plus award for dedication to high-quality, coordinated care for people experiencing heart attack
Maquoketa, Iowa – Jackson County Regional Health Center has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Referring Center Gold Plus recognition for its commitment to providing rapid, research-based care to people experiencing a specific type of heart attack known as an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), considered more severe and life-threatening than other types of heart attacks.
Each year, more than 1.2 million people in the U.S. are hospitalized with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), according to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Report. About 30% of ACS cases are classified as STEMI, caused by a complete blockage in a coronary artery.
Recognition as a STEMI Referring Center highlights hospitals of every size on the front lines of care that do not have an around-the-clock cardiac catheterization lab available but coordinate closely with emergency medical services to ensure patients receive guideline-directed STEMI and NSTEMI care.
“Effective and timely care is critical for patients experiencing a STEMI heart attack. The American Heart Association’s guidelines outline specific interventions for these patients both during hospitalization and after discharge,” said Abhinav Goyal, M.D., MHS, FACC, FAHA, volunteer chair of the American Heart Association Coronary Artery Disease System of Care Advisory Group.
Each year, hospitals earn STEMI Referring Center recognition by demonstrating a sustained commitment to getting patients the most current, science-backed care for STEMI, as outlined by the American Heart Association.
“Jackson County Regional Health Center 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 Cieara Reed, JCRHC Emergency Room Nurse Manager. “The program puts proven science into practice every day, giving people experiencing a heart attack the best possible chance of survival.”
Megan Meinecke, ED RN, Cieara Reed, ED Nurse Manager, Brooke Milder, ED RN, proudly show the American Heart Association’s Get With the Guidelines – Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Referring Center GOLD PLUS recognition. JCRHC is proud to recognize the emergency department for their commitment to providing rapid care to people having life-threatening heart attack experiences.
