Three Keck Medicine of USC hospitals were recently awarded quality improvement awards from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association.
USC Verdugo Hills Hospital (USC-VHH) received the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award; USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center received the Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation Silver Plus Award; and the Cardiovascular Medicine department at Keck Hospital of USC received the Get With The Guidelines-Heart Failure Silver Quality Achievement Award.
These achievement awards recognize hospitals that perform with a minimum of 85 percent compliance in each of the Get With The Guidelines Achievement Targeted Award Measures. The different achievement levels reflect the amount of time a hospital has demonstrated performance. Gold Plus and Silver Plus recognition is awarded to silver- or gold-level, award-winning hospitals that additionally demonstrate 75 percent compliance to a self-selected group of quality measures. Hospitals earn gold recognition for maintaining this performance level for at least two consecutive calendar years, and silver recognition for maintaining this performance level for at least one calendar year.
“We are tremendously proud of the commitment and dedication from our physicians, nurses and staff to provide better outcomes and longer lives to our patients,” said Rod Hanners, chief operating officer of Keck Medicine and chief executive officer of Keck Medical Center of USC.
USC-VHH was awarded for the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence. The Primary Stroke Center at USC-VHH provides rapid, comprehensive neurological support for stroke victims, including a wide array of therapy services such as cognitive, physical, occupational, voice, speech and language therapy as well as cardiology services.
USC Norris was awarded for implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association for the treatment of patients who suffer cardiac arrests in the hospital. The hospital was also recognized for achieving survival to discharge rates in the top 2 percent of rates nationally.
The Cardiovascular Medicine department at Keck Hospital of USC was recognized for the hospital’s commitment to ensuring heart failure patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines founded in the latest scientific evidence. The hospital achieved 85 percent or higher compliance with all Get With The Guidelines-Heart Failure Achievement Measures for one calendar year to improve quality of patient care and outcomes. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and aggressive risk-reduction therapies. The goal is speeding recovery and reducing hospital readmissions for heart failure patients.
— L. Alexis Young