St. Joseph's Recognized by the American Heart Association for Commitment to Quality Stroke and Heart Attack Care

STOCKTON, July 9, 2019 - St. Joseph's Medical Center has recently been recognized by the American Heart Association for outstanding stroke and heart attack care, receiving the Get With The Guidelines^® Target: Stroke Honor Roll Gold Quality Achievement Award and the Mission: Lifeline^® Gold Receiving Quality Achievement Award.

"St. Joseph's is proud to have a long legacy of excellence in the acute treatment of both stroke and heart attack patients," said Don Wiley, Hospital President and CEO. "This recognition from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association is a direct reflection of our team's hard work and dedication to providing the best care possible to our patients."

St. Joseph's earned the 2019 American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines^® Target: Stroke Honor Roll Gold Quality Achievement Award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke treatments aligned with the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. 

This award recognizes St. Joseph's commitment and success ensuring that stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines.

“We are pleased to recognize St. Joseph’s for their commitment to stroke care,” said Lee H. Schwamm, M.D., national chairperson of the 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 Get With The Guidelines quality improvement initiative can often see fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates.”

St. Joseph's has also received the Mission: Lifeline^® Gold Receiving Quality Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association for the treatment of patients who suffer severe heart attacks.  

The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program’s goal is to reduce system barriers to prompt treatment for heart attacks, beginning with the 9-1-1 call, to EMS transport and continuing through hospital treatment and discharge. The initiative provides tools, training and other resources to support heart attack care following protocols from the most recent evidence-based treatment guidelines. 
 
St. Joseph's earned the award by meeting specific criteria and standards of performance for quick and appropriate treatment through emergency procedures to re-establish blood flow to blocked arteries in heart attack patients coming into the hospital directly or by transfer from another facility.

“We commend St. Joseph’s for this award in recognition for following evidence-based guidelines for timely heart attack treatment,” said Tim Henry, M.D., Chair of the Mission: Lifeline Acute Coronary Syndrome Subcommittee. “We applaud the significant institutional commitment to their critical role in the system of care for quickly and appropriately treating heart attack patients.”

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About St. Joseph's Medical Center
St. Joseph's Medical Center is a not-for-profit, fully accredited, regional hospital with 347 beds, a physician staff of over 600, and more than 2,300 employees. St. Joseph's specializes in cardiovascular care, comprehensive cancer services, and women and children's services including neonatal intensive care. St. Joseph's is the largest hospital, as well as one of the largest private employers in San Joaquin County. In addition to being nationally recognized as a quality leader, St. Joseph's is consistently chosen as the "most preferred hospital" by local consumers. Founded in 1899 by Fr. William O'Connor and administered by the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, St. Joseph's continues to lead the region in medical innovation. St. Joseph's Medical Center is committed to delivering compassionate, high-quality, affordable health care services with special attention to the poor and underserved. In fiscal year 2018, St. Joseph’s Medical Center provided more than $15 million in patient financial assistance, unreimbursed costs of Medicaid, Community Health Improvement services and other community benefits. St. Joseph's Medical Center is a member of Dignity Health, a system of ancillary care sites, medical foundations, and acute care hospitals serving California, Arizona and Nevada.