Holy Cross Hospital Recognized with Two Awards from the American Heart - Stroke Association

Holy Cross Hospital has received two awards from the American Heart Association / American Stroke Association in recognition of the hospital’s commitment to ensuring that patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines found in the latest scientific evidence.

The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines® Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award 

Holy Cross earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke treatments aligned with the most current, evidence-based guidelines, with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. Before discharge, patients also should receive education on managing their health and get a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as other care transition interventions.

Additionally, Holy Cross received the associations’ Target: Stroke^SM Elite Plus award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet quality measures developed to reduce the time between the patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat ischemic stroke.

According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 40 seconds and nearly 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.

Holy Cross has been recognized for its stroke care with an award from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines program every year since 2008.

The American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Heart Failure Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award

Holy Cross earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and aggressive risk-reduction therapies. Before discharge, patients also should receive education on managing their heart failure and overall health and get a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as other care transition interventions. The goal is speeding recovery and reducing hospital readmissions for heart failure patients.

Holy Cross also is recognized on the association’s Target: Heart Failure^SM Honor Roll for meeting specific criteria that improves medication adherence, provides early follow-up care and coordination, and enhances patient education. The goal of the honor roll program is not only to reduce hospital readmissions but also to help patients improve their quality of life in managing this chronic condition.

According to the American Heart Association, more than 6.5 million adults in the United States are living with heart failure. Many heart failure patients can lead a full, enjoyable life when their condition is managed with proper medications or devices and with healthy lifestyle changes.

This is seventh year that Holy Cross Hospital has been recognized by the American Heart Association for its heart failure program.

About Get With The Guidelines

Get With The Guidelines® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 6 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.