Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center has received the American Heart Association’s 2018 Get With The Guidelines-Heart Failure Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award.
The award recognizes the hospital's commitment to ensuring heart failure patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines grounded in the latest scientific evidence. The goal is to speed patients' recovery and reduce hospital readmissions for heart failure patients.
To earn the award, UCLA had to meet specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure patients. These measures included evaluation of the proper use of medications and aggressive risk-reduction therapies. Other measures included providing heart-failure patients with education on managing their condition and overall health and scheduling a follow-up visit.
"Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center is dedicated to improving the quality of care for our patients with heart failure by implementing the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines-HF initiative," said Dr. Gregg Fonarow, the Eliot Corday Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine and Science and co-chief of cardiology at UCLA. "The tools and resources provided help us track and measure our success in meeting evidenced-based clinical guidelines developed to improve patient outcomes."
UCLA was also recognized on the association’s Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll. To earn this distinction, hospitals must meet criteria that improves medication adherence, provides early follow-up care and coordination, and enhances patient education. The goal is to reduce hospital readmissions and help patients improve their quality of life in managing this chronic condition.
"We are pleased to recognize UCLA for their commitment to heart failure care," said Dr. Eric E. Smith, national chairman of the Get With The Guidelines Steering Committee and an associate professor of neurology at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. "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."
According to the American Heart Association, more than 6.5 million adults in the United States are living with heart failure. 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.
Visit heart.ucla.edu for more information on cardiovascular care at UCLA Health.
