Area hospitals awarded for quality care

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Several Austin-area hospitals have been recognized for achievement in using evidence-based guidelines to provide the best possible care to patients through the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association’s "Get With The Guidelines" and "Mission: Lifeline" programs.

Three local hospitals were among 1,041 nationwide to receive recognition under "Get With The Guidelines" program.

"Get With the Guidelines" is a quality-improvement program that helps hospitals follow scientific guideline-based treatment for heart failure and stroke patients, according to a news release from the American Heart Association.

 

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Area hospitals recognized for Get With The Guidelines achievement:

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• (Gold Plus—Stroke): St. David’s Medical Center (Austin)
• Scott & White Healthcare - Round Rock
• (Silver Plus—Stroke): Scott & White Memorial Hospital, Temple

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American Heart Association said, hospitals are recognized based on reductions in patient deaths within 30 days of leaving the hospital, and lower re-hospitalization rates. The Award levels--Gold Plus, Gold, Silver Plus and Silver—are based on how long the hospitals adhere to the quality measures.

"The American Heart Association is pleased to recognize its top Get With The Guidelines participants," said Stephanie Chapman, senior director of Quality & Systems Improvement with the American Heart Association’s Southwest Affiliate.

"Healthcare providers who use Get With The Guidelines are armed with the latest evidence-based guidelines and immediate access to clinical decision support, using a set of tools that have been shown to improve delivery of evidence-based care. The goal of this initiative is to improve the quality of life and help reduce deaths and disability among patients with heart disease and stroke," Chapman said. 

 Ten area hospitals were awarded for achievement in Mission: Lifeline, a coordinated system of care that helps communities speed up and streamline the process of diagnosing and treating heart attacks, according to American Heart Association. 

 

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Area hospitals recognized for Mission: Lifeline achievement:

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• (Gold—Receiving): Seton Medical Center Austin
• (Silver—Receiving): Scott & White Healthcare - Round Rock
• Scott & White Memorial Hospital, Temple St. David’s North Austin Medical Center
• (Bronze—Receiving): Heart Hospital of Austin
• Seton Medical Center Hays (Kyle)
• St. David’s Medical Center (Austin)
• St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center
• St. David’s South Austin Medical Center
• (Bronze—Referral): Central Texas Medical Center (San Marcos)

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"Published scientific studies are providing us with more and more evidence that Get With The Guidelines works and patients are getting the care they need when they need it," said Kent Ferguson, board chairman for the American Heart Association’s Capital Area Division.

The honored hospitals are featured in US News & World Report online and will be in the publication's "Best Hospitals Guidebook" which will be available this August. 

"We salute the local hospitals chosen by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to be honored in US News & World Report," Ferguson said.