Jefferson Health has received multiple Get With The Guidelines achievement awards from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association, recognizing its efforts in providing evidence-based care for stroke and heart disease patients.
The organization was awarded the Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award, which highlights Jefferson Health’s adherence to national treatment guidelines. These practices are linked to improved patient outcomes, including increased survival rates, reduced disability, faster recovery times, and fewer hospital readmissions.
According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States while stroke ranks fifth. Strokes occur when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked or a vessel bursts, causing rapid loss of brain cells. Immediate treatment is crucial for better outcomes due to the high rate at which brain cells die during a stroke.
Get With The Guidelines is a program that encourages hospitals nationwide to implement high-quality care for patients experiencing strokes or cardiac events. Hospitals qualify for these awards by demonstrating their commitment to improving patient care through established protocols.
“This recognition from the American Heart Association affirms the dedication on the part of our clinical teams to improving health outcomes for patients experiencing a stroke or heart disease by applying these proven practices,” said Baligh R. Yehia, MD, MPP, MSc, FACP, President of Jefferson Health and Executive Vice President at Jefferson. “Across Jefferson, clinicians are on the frontlines providing quick emergency responses, administering life-saving clot-busting drugs, performing advanced surgeries, and providing immediate treatment prior to hospitalization in our mobile stroke units. Our focus is also on preventive care, helping people manage or avoid diabetes and other conditions that can cause a stroke or heart disease.”
Jefferson Health hospitals earned several specific recognitions under this program:
– Thomas Jefferson University Hospital received Stroke Gold Plus status as well as honors for diabetes management and rapid stroke response.
– Jefferson Bucks, Frankford, Torresdale hospitals achieved awards related to both coronary artery disease and stroke care.
– Jefferson Abington Hospital earned multiple distinctions across coronary artery disease and heart failure categories.
– Other facilities such as Lansdale Hospital; Einstein Philadelphia and Montgomery Hospitals; Methodist Hospital; Washington Township; Cherry Hill; Stratford; and various Lehigh Valley locations were recognized for excellence in treating strokes and managing diabetes among hospitalized patients.
Awards included recognition for reducing time between patient arrival and administration of thrombolytic therapy (Target: Stroke Award), effective removal of clots (Stroke Honor Roll Advanced Therapy Award), optimal management of Type 2 diabetes in stroke patients (Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll Award), and initiatives aimed at reducing readmissions due to heart failure.
Robert H. Rosenwasser, MD, DSc, MBA, FACS, FAHA—Jewell L. Osterholm Professor of Neurological Surgery and President/CEO of the Vickie & Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience—said: “Our clinicians at the Vickie & Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience are helping improve lives through groundbreaking research and clinical expertise, and we’re honored that their hard work and achievements are being recognized by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association.”
