Atlanta Medical Center Recognized for Outstanding Heart Failure Care

The American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology Foundation have recognized the Atlanta Medical Center for outstanding heart failure care for the eighth year in a row, the center announced on its website last week.

The Get With The Guidelines ®–Heart Failure Gold-Plus Quality Achievement Award acknowledges health organizations that meet certain quality improvement measures and excel in treating heart failure patients at a set level for a designated period.

Each year, 670,000 new cases are diagnosed and more than 275,000 people will die of heart failure, according to the American Heart Association. However, people with heart failure can often live a long, healthful life with proper care and resources.

To be eligible for the award, organizations must improve upon a handful of measures including proper use of medications and aggressive risk-reduction therapies such as cholesterol-lowering drugs while patients are hospitalized. Patients must also be educated on heart failure and overall health management, the statement said. They also must receive referrals for cardiac rehabilitation.

Deepak L. Bhatt, national chairman of the Get With The Guidelines steering committee, lauded the Atlanta Medical Center for its efforts in a statement on the center's website, commenting on the significance of the award.

"Studies have shown that hospitals that consistently follow Get With The Guidelines quality improvement measures can reduce patients’ length of stays and 30-day readmission rates and also reduce disparity gaps in care,” Bhatt said. "We are pleased to recognize Atlanta Medical Center for their commitment to heart failure care."