American Heart Association Award recognizes Reading Hospital’s commitment to quality heart failure care
West Reading, Pa. – Reading Hospital has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Heart Failure Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment to ensuring heart failure patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines founded in the latest scientific evidence. The goal is speeding recovery and reducing hospital readmissions for heart failure patients.
Reading Hospital earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and aggressive risk-reduction therapies. Before discharge, patients also receive education on managing their heart failure and overall health, get a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as other care transition interventions.
“At Reading Hospital, we have a relentless pursuit for clinical excellence, ” said Gregory Sorensen, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Tower Health and Reading Hospital. “The Reading Hospital Heart Failure team has developed numerous programs, including physicial rehabilitation and classes for lifestyle modification, to improve the quality of life for our heart failure patients. We also offer CardioMEMS, a tiny, implantable device that monitors blood pressure and detects when heart failure worsens – even before a patient would notice the symptoms. Through these initiatives we are able to help patients manage their health and stay at home rather than in the hospital.”
Reading Hospital is also recognized on the association’s Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll. Hospitals are required to meet specific criteria that improves medication adherence, provides early follow-up care and coordination, and enhances patient education. The goal is to reduce hospital readmissions and help patients improve their quality of life in managing this chronic condition.
“We are pleased to recognize Reading Hospital for their commitment to heart failure 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.”
According to the American Heart Association, more than 6.5 million adults in the United States are living with heart failure. Many heart failure patients can lead a full, enjoyable life when their condition is managed with proper medications or devices and with healthy lifestyle changes.
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