ROME, Ga., June 14, 2022 – For the fifth consecutive year, the American Heart Association has ranked Floyd Medical Center in the Gold category for the care it provides heart failure patients. The AHA releases its Get With The Guidelines honorees annually. Polk Medical Center has been awarded gold for the fourth consecutive year.
Both hospitals received the Gold Plus award in 2022 for their commitment to improve outcomes for patients with heart failure by reduced readmissions and making more healthy days at home a reality, according to the AHA.
About 6.2 million U.S. adults are living with heart failure. Despite the name, heart failure doesn't mean that the heart has stopped working – it means the heart is having a hard time pumping blood and oxygen throughout the body. While there's no cure for heart failure, patients can live a quality life by working with their health care team to create and stick with a plan that may include medication, symptom monitoring and lifestyle changes.
The Get With The Guidelines – Heart Failure quality achievement award is earned by hospitals that demonstrate a commitment to treating patients according to the most up-to-date guidelines as outlined by the American Heart Association. Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research and evidence-based guidelines.
"Our goal is to help make sure our patients experience longer, healthier lives," said Lee Clevenger, director of Critical Care and Cardiovascular Services at Floyd Medical Center. "Our Heart Failure Clinic here at Floyd Medical Center works with patients to make sure they are getting the proper care they need. We also educate them to so that they know what they should be doing at home to stay as healthy as possible."
In addition to following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also provide education to patients to help them manage their heart failure at home.
"Heart failure patients need to know what they can do on their own to maintain their quality of life," said Tifani Kinard, vice president of Rural Health at Atrium Health Floyd and administrator at Polk Medical Center. "They can expect to receive great care at Polk Medical Center, but it is also important that we educate them. This award from the American Heart Association clearly means we are doing that well."
"We are pleased to recognize the leaders and teams at Floyd Medical Center and Polk Medical Center for a strong commitment to caring for people with heart failure," said Clyde W. Yancy, M.D., MSc, MACC, FAHA, MACP, FHFSA, national chairperson of the American Heart Association Heart Failure systems of care advisory group and chief, division of cardiology at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine. "Hospitals that participate in Get With The Guidelines quality improvement programs often see better patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities."
Floyd Medical Center and Polk Medical Center are also recognized on the American Heart Association's Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll. Hospitals on the Honor Roll meet specific criteria that improves medication adherence, provides early follow-up care and coordination, and enhances patient education. The goal is to further reduce hospital readmissions and help patients improve their quality of life in managing this chronic condition.
The hospitals additionally received the American Heart Association's Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award. Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to heart disease or stroke.