Parkwest Medical Center Earns National Recognition for High-Quality Heart Attack Care

July 2025 – Parkwest Medical Center has received numerous American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® and Mission: Lifeline® achievement awards for demonstrating commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease. This ultimately leads to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospital.

Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a heart attack, and heart disease is the number one cause of death in the country, according to the American Heart Association 2025 Statistical Update. Studies show patients can recover better when providers consistently follow treatment guidelines.

Get With The Guidelines and Mission: Lifeline use the expertise of the American Heart Association to help ensure patient care is aligned with the latest evidence- and research-based guidelines. As a participant in Mission: Lifeline and Get With The Guidelines programs, Parkwest qualified for the awards by demonstrating how their organization has committed to improving quality care.

This year, Parkwest Medical Center received these achievement awards:

• Get With The Guidelines® – Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Receiving Center – Gold Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll
• Get With The Guidelines® – Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI – Gold with Target: Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll

These awards are earned by hospitals that demonstrate a commitment to treating patients according to the most up-to-date research-based guidelines for STEMI and NSTEMI care as outlined by the American Heart Association.

Additionally, Parkwest Medical Center earned the Target: Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll Award. This award aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to heart attack.

“These awards show Parkwest Medical Center’s commitment to caring for those in their community who need cardiovascular care,” said Donald Lloyd-Jones, past volunteer president of the American Heart Association and current volunteer chair of the Association’s Quality Oversight Committee. “By following the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols, Parkwest can help realize our shared vision of improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities.”

Jeremy Brooks, MD, Interventional Cardiologist at Parkwest commented, “We’re honored to receive recognition once again from the American Heart Association for excellence in care of patients with heart attacks. This achievement reflects the unwavering commitment of our entire team to delivering the highest quality care to our patients. It’s a testament to the power of collaboration, expertise, and compassion in everything we do as we continually strive to be the first and best choice for cardiac care in our region.”

Parkwest Medical Center is a leading cardiovascular care provider in East Tennessee and is the flagship heart care hospital of Covenant Health. Learn more about the comprehensive heart care services offered.

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About Parkwest Medical Center

Parkwest is leading the way for outstanding healthcare in our community, emphasizing high-quality treatment and medical innovation. In addition to award-winning cardiac services, advanced diagnostics, and more, our state-of-the-art facilities feature one of the area’s first all-digital catheterization laboratories and a comprehensive breast center with a multidisciplinary approach to women’s health. From emergency care to physical therapy programs, Parkwest offers the expertise and resources you need to support a better healthcare journey. Learn more at CovenantHealth.com/Parkwest.

About Get With The Guidelines^®

Get With The Guidelines^® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 14 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.

About Mission: Lifeline®

The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program helps hospitals and emergency medical services develop systems of care that follow proven standards and procedures for STEMI patients. The program works by mobilizing teams across the continuum of care to implement American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Foundation clinical treatment guidelines. For more information, visit heart.org.