Fountain Valley Regional Hospital Recognized For Implementing Quality Stroke and Cardiac Care

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Oct 03, 2011, 02:06 ET

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Oct. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Fountain Valley Regional Hospital has been recognized for achievement in using evidence-based guidelines to provide the best possible care to patients through The American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association's Get With The Guidelines^® program.

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Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and 814 other hospitals were featured recently in a special advertisement in the "America's Best Hospitals" issue of US News & World Report to commemorate their receipt of Get With The Guidelines Gold Plus Performance Achievement Award for Stroke and Gold Performance Achievement Award for Heart Failure. A total of 961 awards were given for achievement in coronary artery disease, stroke and/or heart failure treatment.

Hospitals recognized in each category achieve at least 85 percent compliance to Get With The Guidelines measures. Those achieving 85 percent compliance for 24 consecutive months receive the Gold Performance Achievement Award. Special recognition is also given for those hospitals achieving 85 percent compliance in two or all three categories and/or for being in 75 percent compliance with heart failure and/or stroke measures.

Get With The Guidelines is a hospital-based quality-improvement program designed to ensure that hospitals consistently care for cardiac and stroke patients following the most up-to-date guidelines and recommendations. The program addresses coronary artery disease, heart failure and stroke. Currently more than 1,400 hospitals participate in the program.

The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's advertisement recognizes Fountain Valley Hospital's commitment and success in performance achievement.

"The American Heart Association is pleased to recognize its top Get With The Guidelines participants," said. Lee Schwamm, M.D., national chairman of the Get With The Guidelines steering committee, associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and Vice Chairman of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital. "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."

Published scientific studies are providing us with more and more evidence that Get With The Guidelines works. Patients are getting the right care they need when they need it. That's resulting in improved survival.

"We are proud that the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association have chosen the 'America's Best Hospitals' issue of US News & World Report to recognize our hospital's achievements in their Get With The Guidelines program," said Debbie Walsh, CEO of Fountain Valley Regional Hospital. "Get With The Guidelines gives our professionals the tools and reports they need to effectively treat our coronary heart disease, heart failure and stroke patients."

About Fountain Valley Regional Hospital:

Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center (FVRH) is a 400-bed acute care hospital and one of the most comprehensive medical facilities in Orange County, California. Serving the community for more than 30 years, the hospital's core services include Heart & Vascular Care, Spine, Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, and Women's and Children's services including labor and delivery, a Level III Neonatal ICU, a Pediatric Unit for sick kids and a Pediatric ICU for critically ill children, a Gestational Diabetes Program, and a Center for Breast Care. FVRH also offers Surgical Weight Loss Services, a Diabetes Center, transfusion-free medicine and surgery, and 24-hour emergency care including an accredited Chest Pain Center and a certified Primary Stroke Center. To learn more, visit www.fountainvalleyhospital.com.

About Get With The Guidelines

Get With The Guidelines^® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's hospital-based quality improvement program that empowers healthcare teams to save lives and reduce healthcare costs by helping hospitals follow evidence-based guidelines and recommendations. For more information, visit heart.org/quality.