Dignity Health Bay Area Hospitals Receive ‘Get With the Guidelines’ Awards
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (May 29, 2018) – Dignity Health’s four Bay Area hospitals have each received Get With the Guidelines Quality Achievement Awards from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. The awards recognize the hospitals’ commitment to ensuring patients receive the most appropriate treatment for stroke or heart failure, according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.
“Our hospitals work hard to improve quality of care for stroke and heart failure patients, and implementing the American Heart Association’s Get With the Guidelines initiative is a key component,” said Todd Strumwasser, MD, senior vice president of operations for Dignity Health in the San Francisco Bay Area. “I’m proud of our caregivers, who are dedicated to improving patient outcomes through evidenced-based clinical guidelines.”
Dignity Health’s Bay Area hospitals – Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz, Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City, and St. Mary’s Medical Center and Saint Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco – received the following awards:
- Dominican Hospital received the Heart Failure Gold Plus and Stroke Silver Plus awards.
- Sequoia Hospital received the Stroke Gold Plus award.
- St. Mary’s Medical Center received the Stroke Gold Plus award.
- Saint Francis Memorial Hospital Stroke Gold Plus award.
All four hospitals are certified stroke centers.
The hospitals earned the awards by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke or heart failure patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other treatments aligned with the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery, reducing death and disability for stroke patients, and reducing readmissions for heart failure patients. Before discharge, patients should also receive education on managing their health and get a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as other care transition interventions.
According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States, and more than 6.5 million adults nationwide are living with heart failure.
About Dignity Health Bay Area Hospitals
Dignity Health includes four accredited, not-for-profit hospitals in the Bay Area – Saint Francis Memorial Hospital and St. Mary’s Medical Center in San Francisco, Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City, and Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz. All four hospitals are Certified Stroke Centers, offer emergency services, and have received national recognition for superior safety and quality.
Saint Francis Memorial Hospital is home to the Bothin Burn Center, the largest dedicated burn unit in Northern California. Saint Francis also features the Center for Sports Medicine, the Saint Francis Orthopedic Institute, and a CARF-accredited Acute Rehabilitation Unit.
St. Mary’s Medical Center opened the nation’s first digital cardiac catheterization laboratory and continues to pioneer in multidisciplinary spine care. St. Mary’s also houses a Total Joint Center, a Comprehensive Cancer Center and is recognized for outstanding treatment of stroke.
Sequoia Hospital, located in Redwood City, is a nationally known pioneer in advanced cardiac care, affiliated with the Cleveland Clinic Heart and Vascular Institute. The Sequoia Birth Center is consistently ranked as a favorite among Peninsula families, and the hospital is known for its Center for Total Joint Replacement.
Dominican Hospital is a chest pain center and Santa Cruz County’s STEMI receiving center, and offers the only comprehensive Cancer Center in the county. Dominican’s services include a Total Joint Replacement program, maternity and NICU services, and the hospital is a leading provider of neurological services.
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 tools and resources to increase adherence to 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 6 million patients since 2001.
Publish date:
Tuesday, May 29, 2018