According to the American Heart Association, more than 6.5 million adults in the United States are living with heart failure, a notoriously difficult condition to treat.
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. Mercy Health recognizes this and has worked diligently to implement specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association (AHA) at its Cincinnati-area hospitals.
The American Heart Association has recognized Mercy Health hospitals with the following awards for their commitment to ensuring heart failure patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines founded in the latest scientific evidence:
- Mercy Health – Fairfield Hospital and Mercy Health – West Hospital received the Get With The Guidelines® - Heart Failure Gold Plus award and Target: Heart Failure award
- Mercy Health – Anderson Hospital and Mercy Health – Clermont Hospital received the Get With The Guidelines® - Heart Failure Gold Plus award
- The Jewish Hospital – Mercy Health received the Get With The Guidelines® - Heart Failure Silver Plus award
“Mercy Health’s heart care teams are dedicated to improving the quality of care for our patients with heart failure. Our goal is to speed these patients’ recovery, reduce their hospital readmissions and improve their quality of life. Implementing the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines-HF initiative is helping us meet that goal,” said Dave Fikse, President, Mercy Health - Cincinnati. “I thank our nurses, doctors, clinical leaders and staff for their efforts, which make this recognition possible.”
Mercy Health – Cincinnati’s hospitals earned the awards 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 should also receive education on managing their heart failure and overall health, get a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as other care transition interventions.
The AHA placed Fairfield Hospital and West Hospital on its Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll. Hospitals that meet specific criteria that improves medication adherence, provides early follow-up care and coordination and enhances patient education earn a spot on the Honor Roll.
“We are pleased to recognize Mercy Health – Cincinnati for its 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.”