Reduction in Treatment Times Through Formalized Data Feedback : Results From a Prospective Multicenter Study of ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Objectives This study sought to evaluate the effect of systematic data analysis and standardized feedback on treatment times and outcome in a prospective multicenter trial. Background Formalized data feedback may reduce treatment times in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods Over a 15-month period, 1,183 patients presenting with STEMI were enrolled. Six primary percutaneous coronary intervention hospitals in Germany and 29 associated nonpercutaneous coronary intervention hospitals participated. Data from patient contact to balloon inflation were collected and analyzed. Pre-defined quality indicators, including the percentage of patients with pre-announced STEMI, direct handoff in the catheterization laboratory, contact-to-balloon time Results Median door-to-balloon time decreased from 71 to 58 min and contact-to-balloon time from 129 to 103 min between the first and the fifth quarter (p Conclusions Formalized data feedback is associated with a reduction in treatment times for STEMI and with an improved prognosis, which is most pronounced in high-risk patients. (Feedback Intervention and Treatment Times in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction [FITT-STEMI]; NCT00794001 )