SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital in Mt. Vernon has been recognized as one of the nation’s top-performing hospitals for heart attack treatment. Dr. Michael Kontos, chair of the registry’s steering subcommittee, stated that this award signifies the hospital’s ongoing dedication to providing high-quality, guideline-driven care for heart attack patients. To earn the award, SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital demonstrated top-level performance on specific measures in both 2023 and 2024. Dr. Walter Parham, cardiologist and Regional Medical Director of Cardiovascular Services at SSM Health in Southern Illinois, said the recognition reflects the team’s unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional, evidence-based care to heart attack patients in the community.