Highland Hospital is nationally recognized for its commitment to providing high-quality cardiovascular care

The American Heart Association presented Highland Hospital with Get With The Guidelines and Mission: Lifeline awards for proven dedication to best practices and life-saving care.

ALAMEDA, Calif., June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Alameda Health System's Highland Hospital has received two American Heart Association achievement awards for delivering the latest, research-based treatments of heart disease and stroke, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospital.

Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke or heart attack, and heart disease and stroke are the number-one and number-five causes of death in the United States, respectively. Studies show patients can recover better when providers consistently follow treatment guidelines.

Get With The Guidelines and Mission: Lifeline are programs that put the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest evidence and research-based guidelines. As a participant in both programs, Highland Hospital qualified for the Get With The Guidelines and Mission: Lifeline awards by demonstrating how their organization has committed to improving quality care.

"Highland Hospital is exemplary at adhering to the latest treatment guidelines and implementing smooth processes to ensure timely and proper care for heart attacks and strokes," said Felicia Tornabene, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Alameda Health System. "The Mission: Lifeline and Get With The Guidelines programs make it easier for our team to use knowledge and evidence-based practices every day, which helps us save lives in the East Bay."

This year, Highland Hospital received these achievement awards:

o    Mission:Lifeline STEMI Receiving Gold Plus
o    Mission:Lifeline NSTEMI Gold

"We are pleased to recognize Highland Hospital for its commitment to caring for those in their community who need cardiovascular care," said John Warner, M.D., FAHA, past president of the American Heart Association and executive vice president for health system affairs at UT Southwestern Medical Center, in Dallas. "Hospitals that follow the American Heart Association's quality improvement protocols often see improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities."

ALAMEDA HEALTH SYSTEM (AHS) is a leading public health care provider dedicated to caring, healing, teaching and serving all. AHS is a haven for the most vulnerable among us and an advocate for equitable, compassionate and culturally sensitive care regardless of social and financial barriers. AHS is a vanguard of medical excellence, with a teaching hospital that draws the nation's best medical students. As one of Alameda County's 15 largest employers, AHS is a major economic power providing more than 5,100 jobs and contributing nearly $560 million annually in salaries, wages and benefits. AHS is also home to more than 1,100 physicians across the nine facilities within the health system. Since 1864, AHS has served the East Bay's health care needs. For more information, visit AlamedaHealthSystem.org.

The American Heart Association's Mission: Lifeline program helps hospitals and emergency medical services develop systems of care that follow proven standards and procedures for STEMI patients. The program works by mobilizing teams across the continuum of care to implement American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Foundation clinical treatment guidelines.  For more information, visit heart.org.

Get With The Guidelines^® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with 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 12 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.

CONTACT:
Eleanor Ajala
Manager of Media & Communications
Alameda Health System
(510) 421-9222 
[email protected]

SOURCE Alameda Health System