Brookwood Medical Center has been selected by Alabama Quality Assurance Foundation (AQAF) to receive the 2002 Best Practice Award for its work to enhance the care received by patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI).

Brookwood Medical Center was selected to receive the Best Practice Award after submitting an application that was reviewed by an expert panel. Decisive factors for award consideration included the development of Emergency Department (ED) chest pain risk appraisal/ assessment guidelines, basing ED chest pain orders on levels of risk, revising the process for Cath Lab team notification/activation, and the development of a fast-track chest pain/observation unit. These efforts resulted in improved quality of care, service and use of resources. The best practice strategies were based upon the AHA/ACC guidelines.