Get With The Guidelines® - 
 CAD Rural Recognition

Award Recognition for Rural Hospitals

The American Heart Association recognizes that rural hospitals work with varied patient care dynamics. For that reason, all rural hospitals participating in Get With The Guidelines Stroke, Heart Failure or Coronary Artery Disease, whether involved in the Rural Health Care Outcomes Accelerator or not, are eligible to receive award recognition focused on a unique set of performance metrics:

Get With The Guidelines - CAD Rural Recognition (PDF)

Recognition Criteria Breakdown

Rural Acute ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) Measures

  • ECG within 10 minutes of Arrival - Percentage of ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) patients who received a 12 Lead ECG (electrocardiogram) within 10 minutes of arrival
  • STEMI-positive ECG to Interfacility Transport Requested within 10 minutes - Percentage of ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) patients whose time from first STEMI-positive 12-lead ECG to Interfacility transport requested is less than or equal to 10 minutes
  • Aspirin on Arrival or Prior to Transfer - Percentage of ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) patients who receive aspirin within 24 hours prior to arrival or prior to transfer
  • Arrival or Subsequent STEMI ECG Time to Transfer to PCI Center < 45 Minutes (Door In Door Out) - Percentage of ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) patients diagnosed on first ECG who are transferred out for primary PCI within 45 minutes of arrival or percentage of patients with STEMI diagnosed on subsequent ECG, who are transferred out for primary PCI within 45 minutes of subsequent ECG time. 
  • Arrival To Thrombolytics within 30 Min - Percent of all ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) patients who receive thrombolytic therapy within 30 minutes of arrival
  • P2Y12 Administration Prior To Transfer - Percentage of patients with ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) who receive loading dose of an appropriate P2Y12 receptor inhibitor prior to transfer
  • Anticoagulant Administration Prior To Transfer- Percentage of patients with ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) who receive an appropriate anticoagulant prior to transfer
  • Rural Acute STEMI Composite Score - Percentage of performance opportunities that were met among eligible opportunities for all 7 individual component STEMI measures
  • Reasons for Delay in Transfer - ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) patients who are transferred out to another acute care facility, grouped by documented reasons for delay in transfer

Rural Acute Chest Pain and Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS)  Measures

  • 12 Lead ECG (Electrocardiogram) within 10 minutes of Arrival for Acute Chest Pain or Suspected ACS Patients  - Percentage of Acute Chest Pain or Suspected ACS patients who received an ECG within 10 minutes of arrival
  • Early Cardiac Troponin Results within 90 Minutes of Arrival - Percentage of patients with acute NSTE-ACS who have cardiac troponin results within 90 minutes of hospital arrival
  • Risk Stratification of NSTE-ACS Patients - Percentage of patients with Acute Chest Pain or Suspected ACS, who have a risk stratification score documented during hospitalization.
  • Low Risk NSTE-ACS Follow Up Appointment - Percentage of low risk Acute Chest Pain or Suspected ACS patients who had a follow up appointment with a cardiologist or primary care provider scheduled
  • Intermediate-Risk NSTE-ACS Cardiac Testing - Percentage of intermediate-risk patients with Acute Chest Pain or Suspected ACS who have non-invasive cardiac testing performed during hospitalization or who are transferred to another hospital for advanced cardiac care 
  • High Risk NSTE-ACS Anticoagulant Administration Prior To Transfer - Percentage of high-risk NSTE-ACS patients who receive an anticoagulant prior to transfer
  • High Risk NSTE-ACS Transfer to Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) Capable Center within 6  hours - Percentage of high-risk NSTE-ACS patients who are transferred to a PCI Center within 6 hours of arrival
  • Rural Acute Chest Pain and Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) Composite Score  - Percentage of performance opportunities that were met among eligible opportunities for all 7 individual component Rural Acute Chest Pain and/or Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) measures

Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisers. See our editorial policies and staff.

Last Reviewed: Aug 11, 2022