Keck Hospital of USC, USC Verdugo Hills Hospital (USC-VHH) and USC Arcadia Hospital (USC-AH) have received five American Heart Association (AHA) Get With The Guidelines® quality achievement awards with Target: Honor Roll recognitions for high-quality care in heart failure, resuscitation, type 2 diabetes and stroke.

Get With The Guidelines, from the AHA, is “a proven in-hospital approach to improving patient outcomes in cardiovascular and stroke focus areas.”

The program includes five specialized areas of focus: Stroke, Heart Failure, Resuscitation, Atrial Fibrillation and Coronary Artery Disease. Each one promotes consistent adherence to the latest research-driven guidelines for quality of care.

The awards honor hospitals that adhere to the continually evolving guidelines, saving lives and minimizing disability.

The awards bestowed to Keck Hospital, USC-VHH and USC AH are:

Keck Hospital  

Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Silver Plus
Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll

Get With The Guidelines – Heart Failure Gold Plus
Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll
Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll

Get With The Guidelines – Resuscitation Gold – Adult

USC-VHH

Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Silver Plus
Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll

USC-AH

Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus
Target: Stroke Elite Plus Honor Roll
Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
Target: Stroke Advanced Therapy Honor Roll

All silver awards recognize performance of 12 consecutive months, while gold awards recognize performance of 24 consecutive months or more.

As explained by the AHA, quality improvement causes a ripple effect that benefits every aspect of health care, including improved equity in patient care, staff morale, certification opportunities, accurate reimbursements and an overall reduction in lengths of stay and readmissions.

To learn more about Get With The Guidelines, click here.

— Kate Faye