Congratulations to Lawrence Memorial Hospital for its recent No. 1 ranking in the treatment of heart attack patients.

In 2006 the American College of Cardiology set a goal of helping hospitals move heart attack patients from the door of the hospital to a cleared artery within 90 minutes. At LMH, that time now has been reduced to an average of 57 minutes, ranking it first among 932 hospitals of similar size.

Getting the blocked artery open as quickly as possible minimizes heart damage and, therefore, the long-term effects of a heart attack. It’s a very tangible example of the high quality of care provided in many areas at LMH, much higher than can be found in many communities the size of Lawrence.

Rather than accepting the limitations of operating outside of a metropolitan area, LMH officials have consistently pushed the envelope to provide the best possible care for its patients. The cardiology ranking is another reason that Lawrence and the LMH staff should be proud of their community hospital.