Lawrence Memorial Hospital has earned national recognition for its “excellence in cardiac care.”

In May, VHA Inc., a national health care provider alliance based in Irving, Texas, named LMH as a recipient of the 2006 Leadership Award for Clinical Excellence. LMH was one of 98 member VHA hospitals to receive the recognition.

“This award validates the dedicated focus of our clinical staff and physicians to improve the care we provide cardiac patients,” Gene Meyer, LMH president and chief executive officer, said in a news release.

The award is based on the hospital’s performance in handling standard protocols in cases of patients suffering heart attacks or heart failures. LMH’s performance was based on certain nationally accepted standards. Following those standards have been shown to improve the quality of care and outcomes in heart patient cases.

LMH was recognized for the same award in 2005.

The focus on clinical improvement at LMH has been a team effort, Meyer said.

“This award recognizes that patients are benefiting from our continuing efforts to deliver high-quality care,” he said.

In November 2005, LMH began to improve its care in the area of internal cardiology. Previously, the hospital could conduct diagnostic procedures to determine heart blockage but didn’t have the resources to treat the problem, so patients were sent to other hospitals.

“Now we have an interventional cardiologist who can do those procedures,” LMH spokeswoman Janice Early-Weas said. “That keeps more patients here in town for the procedures deemed important for them.”

LMH also is nationally accredited as a chest pain center.