University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center Honored with Quality Achievement Awards in Heart Attack, Stroke and Diabetes Care

August 07, 2020

Contact:

Kevin Cservek

Glen Burnie, MD — University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center (UM BWMC) was recently honored by both the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association with several awards for its care of heart attack, stroke and diabetes patients. The awards symbolize UM BWMC's continued excellence in cardiovascular care while staying up-to-date with the latest medical technologies in the treatment of patients with complex health issues.

For an impressive seventh year in a row, UM BWMC received the Mission: Lifeline® STEMI Receiving Center Gold Quality Achievement Award for implementing quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association for the treatment of patients who suffer severe heart attacks. In order to receive the Gold award level, organizations must meet specific criteria for at least two consecutive calendar years.

Each year in the United States, approximately 250,000 people have a STEMI, or ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, caused by a complete blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. It is critical to immediately restore blood flow, either by a minimally invasive procedure to open the blocked vessel or by giving clot-busting medication. UM BWMC earned the award for its quick and appropriate actions to re-establish blood flow to blocked arteries in heart attack patients.

UM BWMC was also recognized with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality and Target: StrokeSM Elite Achievement Awards. These awards recognize the hospital's commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to the latest nationally recognized, research-based guidelines.

UM BWMC earned the award by meeting 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 up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. Hospitals must also meet quality measures 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.

Lastly, UM BWMC received the American Heart Association's inaugural Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll. The award aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized with cardiovascular disease or stroke. To bring attention to this critical high-risk population, the American Heart Association initiated this new recognition opportunity for participants of Get with the Guidelines – Heart Failure® and Get with the Guidelines- Stroke®. Recipients of the award have more than 90 percent of compliance for 12 consecutive months for the "Overall Diabetes Cardiovascular Initiative Composite Score."

"These recognitions by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association for heart disease, stroke and diabetes is significant because it means UM BWMC is having a direct and positive impact on the health of our community members," said Karen Olscamp, FACHE, President and CEO at UM BWMC. "These diseases are prevalent and often cause complications for patients with other illnesses, as we are now seeing with COVID-19. I am so proud of the care that is provided each and every day by our exceptional team here at UM BWMC."

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