Reperfusion of acute myocardial infarction in North Carolina emergency departments (RACE): study design.

Despite the accumulation of almost 2 decades of data in support of rapid reperfusion therapy for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the United States healthcare system still faces serious challenges in providing reperfusion to all eligible patients in a timely fashion. American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines call for systematic interventions aimed at improving both the proportion of patients receiving reperfusion and the timeliness of treatment. We designed a project (RACE) that incorporates standardized protocols and integrated systems for treatment and timely transfer (when appropriate) of patients with STEMI in 5 geographic regions in North Carolina. The RACE project was created by an alliance between national and regional professional societies, a local payer, the pharmaceutical, and healthcare providers, including emergency medical services, emergency medicine, cardiology, and hospital administrations. The main outcomes of interest are rates of reperfusion and time to treatment. Collected data will also provide important insights into barriers to timely reperfusion. The goal of the RACE project is to provide a model for improving the care of patients with STEMI by identifying those features associated with significant improvement, as well as those imposing significant barriers to appropriate therapy.