Fairview Lakes Medical Center today announced it has been recognized by the Premier healthcare alliance with the 2007 Premier Award for Quality for excellence in the care of patients in the area of acute myocardial infarction (heart attack). 

Monica Hemming, Fairview Lakes quality analyst, accepted the award on June 19 at the 2007 Premier Annual Breakthroughs Conference & Exhibition in Orlando. Measurements show the hospital has one of the best rates in the nation of administering recommended care to heart attack patients within minutes of when they arrive in the Fairview Lakes Emergency Department .

Awarded in six clinical areas, the Premier Award for Quality is based on quality and cost data regularly submitted to Premier for reporting and benchmarking purposes. The award is distinguished by its consideration of performance-based criteria, including clinical quality outcomes, clinical process indicators and resource utilization outcomes. This is the third consecutive year that Fairview Lakes has received a Premier Quality Award. 

"Hospitals that win the Premier Award for Quality deliver the highest quality of care in a cost-effective way," said Stephanie Alexander, senior vice president and general manager of Premier Healthcare Informatics. "Congratulations to all of them for delivering excellent patient care by using best practices and evidence-based decision- making."