Heart Systems of Care
The Kentucky Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Task Force’s Heart Systems of Care committee collaborate with various health care sites throughout Kentucky to implement statewide, evidence-based integrated cardiovascular health delivery systems to improve statewide cardiovascular systems of care. This implementation occurs through two prioritized strategies:
- Identifying and improving current heart systems of care
- Engaging receiving hospitals to work with its referral base to improve patient outcomes
Our Mission
Heart Systems of Care emphasizes standardized ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) transport and care through the use and adoption of national quality assurance initiatives that focus on acute cardiovascular care. This process of standardization focuses also on continuous EMS education, training, and feedback in order to optimize outcomes. Necessary engagement with the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services (KBEMS) is provided through Heart Systems of Care in order to accomplish these outcomes. Through consistent collaboration with KBEMS, Heart Systems of Care focuses on reviewing and recommending evidence-based cardiovascular practices. There is additionally an emphasis on referral compliance and standardization to improve patient outcome and transfer policies.
In addition to system and process outcomes, patient education is provided to patients, families, and the public on recognizing the signs and symptoms of Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) and the need to call 911 immediately. Education is an important component used by Heart Systems of Care to prevent and improve cardiovascular outcomes throughout Kentucky.
Heart Systems of Care Resources
The Heart Systems of Care Library of Resources has a variety of documents, links, and helpful tools available for download.
Guidelines and Publications
The links and documents below have been approved by the Heart Systems of Care committee for use.
Please select to open. Download and print or share these resources as appropriate.
- Online Articles
- A Report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines
- O’Gara PT, Kushner FG, Ascheim DD, Casey DE Jr, Chung MK, de Lemos JA, Ettinger SM, Fang JC, Fesmire FM, Franklin BA, Granger CB, Krumholz HM, Linderbaum JA, Morrow DA, Newby LK, Ornato JP, Ou N, Radford MJ, Tamis-Holland JE, Tommaso CL, Tracy CM, Woo YJ, Zhao DX. 2013 ACCF/AHA guideline for the management of ST-elevation myocardial infarction: a report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol 2013;61:e78–140
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- A Report Of The American College Of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force On Practice Guidelines
- Amsterdam EA, Wenger NK, Brindis RG, Casey DE Jr, Ganiats TG, Holmes DR Jr, Jaffe AS, Jneid H, Kelly RF, Kontos MC, Levine GN, Liebson PR, Mukherjee D, Peterson ED, Sabatine MS, Smalling RW, Zieman SJ. 2014 AHA/ACC guideline for the management of patients with non–ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes: a report of the American College of Cardiology/ American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol 2014;64:e139–228.
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- Levine GN, O’Gara PT, Bates ER, Blankenship JC, Kushner FG, Ascheim DD, Bailey SR, Bittl JA, Brindis RG, Casey DE Jr, Cercek B, Chambers CE, Chung MK, de Lemos JA, Diercks DB, Ellis SG, Fang JC, Franklin BA, Granger CB, Guyton RA, Hollenberg SM, Khot UN, Krumholz HM, Lange RA, Linderbaum JA, Mauri L, Mehran R, Morrow DA, Moussa ID, Mukherjee D, Newby LK, Ornato JP, Ou N, Radford MJ, Tamis-Holland JE, Ting HH, Tommaso CL, Tracy CM, Woo YJ, Zhao DX. 2015 ACC/AHA/SCAI focused update on primary percutaneous coronary intervention for patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction: an update of the 2011 ACCF/AHA/SCAI guideline for percutaneous coronary intervention and the 2013 ACCF/AHA guideline for the management of ST-elevation myocardial infarction: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions. J Am Coll Cardiol 2016;67:1235–50.
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- Levine GN, Bates ER, Bittl JA, Brindis RG, Fihn SD, Fleisher LA, Granger CB, Lange RA, Mack MJ, Mauri L, Mehran R, Mukherjee D, Newby LK, O’Gara PT, Sabatine MS, Smith PK, Smith SC Jr. 2016 ACC/AHA guideline focused update on duration of dual antiplatelet therapy in patients with coronary artery disease: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines: an update of the 2011 ACCF/AHA/SCAI guideline for percutaneous coronary intervention, 2011 ACCF/AHA guideline for coronary artery bypass graft surgery, 2012 ACC/AHA/ACP/AATS/PCNA/SCAI/STS guideline for the diagnosis and management of patients with stable ischemic heart disease, 2013 ACCF/AHA guideline for the management of ST-elevation myocardial infarction, 2014 ACC/AHA guideline for the management of patients with non–ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes, and 2014 ACC/AHA guideline on perioperative cardiovascular evaluation and management of patients undergoing noncardiac surgery. J Am Coll Cardiol 2016;68:1082–115;
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- A Report of the ACCC/AHA Task Force of Performance Measures
- Jneid H, Addison D, Bhatt DL, Fonarow GC, Gokak S, Grady KL, Green LA, Heidenreich PA, Ho PM, Jurgens CY, King ML, Kumbhani DJ, Pancholy S. 2017 AHA/ACC clinical performance and quality measures for adults with ST-elevation and non–ST-elevation myocardial infarction: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Performance Measures. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2017;70:2048–90
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- James G. Jollis, MD, Hussein R. Al-Khalidi, PhD, Mayme L. Roettig, RN, MSN, Peter B. Berger, MD, Claire C. Corbett, MMS, Shannon M. Doerfler, PhD, Christopher B. Fordyce, MD, MHS, MSc, Timothy D. Henry, MD, Lori Hollowell, BSN, Zainab Magdon-Ismail, DrPH, Ajar Kochar, MD, James J. McCarthy, MD, Lisa Monk, RN, MSN, Peter O’Brien, MD, Thomas D. Rea, MD, Jay Shavadia, MD, Jacqueline Tamis-Holland, MD, B. Hadley Wilson, MD, Khaled M. Ziada, MD, and Christopher B. Granger, MD. Impact of Regionalization of ST-Segment–Elevation Myocardial Infarction Care on Treatment Times and Outcomes for Emergency Medical Services–Transported Patients Presenting to Hospitals With Percutaneous Coronary Intervention. Circulation. Volume 137, Issue 4, 23 January 2018, Pages 376-387
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Jacobs AK, Murtuza JA, Best PJ et al. AHA policy statement: systems of care for ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction. Circulation. 2021;144:e310–e327.
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- Meeting Minutes
The documents below have been approved by the Heart Systems of Care committee for use.
Please click “download” to print and distribute these resources as necessary.
- Heart Systems of Care Meeting Agenda 09-22-2022
- Kari Moore’s Presentation Slides – SEQIP Overview 2022
- This meeting’s focus was collaboration among competing hospitals statewide to impact performance measures and process improvement: The Kentucky SEQIP experience. Kari Moore was our featured speaker, graciously sharing her wealth of experience leading the implementation of a Stroke Systems of Care in Kentucky. Kari is the Director of Outreach and Community Scholarly Engagement and the Director of UofL Health Stroke Program Quality & Patient Safety at the Department of Neurology in the University of Louisville Hospital.
- Heart System of Care Orientation
The documents below have been approved by the Heart Systems of Care committee for use.
Please click “download” to print and distribute these resources as necessary.
- Professional Organizations
The links and documents below have been added for your convenience.
Please select to open. Share these as appropriate.
- Patient Education
The documents below have been approved by the Heart Systems of Care committee for use.
Please click “download” to print and distribute these resources as necessary.
- Resuscitation Science
The documents below have been added for your convenience.
Please click “download” to print and distribute these resources as necessary.
- Online Articles
- Cardiac Arrest: A Treatment Algorithm for Emergent Invasive Cardiac Procedures in the Resuscitated Comatose Patient
Committee Chair
Megan Switzer
MSN, FNP-BC, CHFN, AACC
Megan has worked for over 38 years in various nursing roles including bedside RN, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Manager, Director and APRN at both Baptist Health Lexington and St. Joseph Hospital in Lexington, KY. Megan completed her BSN at Vanderbilt University, MSN at University of Cincinnati (Critical Care CNS) and post-masters in Family Nurse Practice at University of Kentucky. She has been board certified by ANCC in FNP since 1996. Megan is currently the Cardiovascular Services Navigator and has worked in the cardiovascular service line at Baptist Health Lexington since 2009. Her responsibilities at Baptist have included Chest Pain Coordinator, implementation of the Field STEMI program (2010), Targeted Temperature Management “Code Cool It” program (2011) and hospital lead for the AHA Mission-Lifeline Central and Southeast KY STEMI Accelerator II Project (2015).
She has been actively involved in cardiac-related registries for 25 plus years including NCDR CathPCI, ACC CP-MI Registry(ACTION GWTG), AHA Mission-Lifeline GWTG, GWTG-HF, GWTG-AF, STS Adult Cardiac Surgery and STS/TVT TAVR, where she analyzes data and assists with PI initiatives. Additionally, she has extensive experience with cardiac-related accreditations/certifications including American College of Cardiology (ACC) CP Center with PCI (5 consecutive accreditations), ACC CP Center with PCI and Resuscitation (2 consecutive accreditations), Mission-Lifeline: Heart Attack Receiving Center (first in KY, two consecutive certifications) ACC AFib and EP Services (first in the US), AHA Cardiovascular Center of Excellence (first in KY), ACC HeartCare Achievement (first in KY) and ACC TAVR (first in KY).
Megan has been an active participant in the KHDSP Task Force since 2014 and has served as the Committee Chair of STEMI Systems of Care since 2017. She participates in the Kentucky Board of EMS Cardiac and Stroke Care Subcommittee, the Kentucky ACC Quality Chapter and is a member of the American College of Cardiology, American Association of HF Nurses, Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association and Sigma (Sigma Theta Tau).