University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center Earns National Recognition for Efforts to Improve Cardiovascular Treatment
The American Heart Association presents multiple Achievement Awards for implementation of quality care for patients
TOWSON, MD— University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center has received three American Heart Association Achievement Awards for implementing quality improvement measures that ensure cardiovascular patients receive efficient and coordinated care, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer returns to the hospital.
Nearly half of all adults in the U.S. have experienced some form of cardiovascular disease – including heart attack, stroke and heart failure. For patients with conditions that are severe enough to be transported or admitted to a hospital, time is critical.
The American Heart Association's Mission: Lifeline and Get With The Guidelines programs help reduce barriers to prompt treatment for cardiovascular events. As a participant in both Mission: Lifeline and Get With The Guidelines programs, UM St. Joseph applied for the award recognitions by demonstrating how their organization has committed to improving quality care for patients.
This year, UM St. Joseph received the following Achievement Awards:
- Mission: Lifeline NSTEMI Gold Achievement Award
- Mission: Lifeline STEMI Receiving Center Gold Plus Achievement Award>
- Get With the Guidelines: Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll Achievement Award
"We are pleased to recognize University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center for their commitment to cardiovascular care," said Lee H. Schwamm, M.D., national chairperson of the American Heart Association's Quality Oversight Committee and Executive Vice Chair of Neurology, Director of Acute Stroke Services, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. "Research has shown that hospitals adhering to clinical measures through the American Heart Association's quality improvement programs often see fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates."
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About UM St. Joseph Medical Center
Founded in 1864 by the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, UM St. Joseph Medical Center is a 218-bed Catholic, not-for-profit regional medical center in Towson, Maryland, that offers a wide range of superb clinical programs and centers of excellence, including the Cancer, Heart and Orthopaedic Institutes, Women and Children's services and Emergency Medicine. The medical center's committed focus on zero patient harm, clinical excellence and perfect patient experiences spurred the creation of the hospital's unique approach to care, The UM St. Joseph Value Delivery System, and has consistently earned UM St. Joseph regional and national recognition for patient care and safety, including its ranking as the #1 community hospital in Maryland by U.S. News & World Report. UM St. Joseph is a proud member of the 13-hospital University of Maryland Medical System, dedicated to providing loving service and compassionate, leading-edge care to all. For more information, visit umstjoseph.org.
About Mission: Lifeline
The American Heart Association's Mission: Lifeline program helps hospitals and emergency medical services develop systems of care that follow proven standards and procedures for STEMI patients. The program works by mobilizing teams across the continuum of care to implement American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Foundation clinical treatment guidelines. For more information, visit heart.org.
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 9 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.
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