The American Heart Association has recognized 4,859 healthcare and emergency response organizations across the United States for their commitment to improving cardiovascular disease outcomes. This acknowledgment highlights the essential role of evidence-based care in addressing heart disease and stroke, which remain the leading causes of death in the country. The awards are part of quality improvement initiatives such as Get With The Guidelines®, which encourage organizations to apply the latest scientific research to guide treatment decisions. These programs strive to deliver timely, consistent, and research-supported care to patients, with awards ranging from bronze to gold plus based on the duration and quality of adherence to key treatment measures.
This year, the Association introduced a new Commitment to Quality award, honoring 158 hospitals for high performance across three or more clinical areas within the Get With The Guidelines program. This award acknowledges hospitals that adopt a comprehensive approach to enhancing patient care quality. Donald Lloyd-Jones, M.D., Sc.M., FAHA, stressed the significance of rapid, coordinated, and science-based care for heart attack and stroke patients. The recognition of these organizations indicates advancements in the collective effort to promote healthier lives and decrease cardiovascular disease-related deaths.
With over 14,500 awards distributed this year, the initiative extends across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam. The increasing number of recognized organizations shows the healthcare community's growing dedication to quality improvement and excellence in patient care. For additional details on the Get With The Guidelines program and the complete list of award recipients, visit https://www.heart.org/quality.
