St. Francis Recognized for High-Quality Cardiovascular Care

St. Francis Medical Center recently earned a 2022 American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) Get With The Guidelines® —Resuscitation Gold Award for its commitment to treating in-hospital cardiac arrest, ultimately helping to improve survival rates. Survival from cardiac arrest largely depends on timely medical emergency team response and effective CPR.

In addition, St. Francis Medical Center earned a 2022 AHA/ASA Get With The Guidelines® Stroke Silver Plus Award. As part of the Stroke designation, St. Francis was also recognized with the Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll. This quality achievement award recognizes St. Francis’ commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.

“Earning these quality awards, particularly with challenges faced from the pandemic, demonstrates St. Francis’ long-term commitment to providing the best possible care,” said Daniel P. Moen, President and Chief Executive Officer, St. Francis Medical Center. “Our team strives for excellence, and we are proud to work with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association to ensure high-quality cardiovascular care for our patients.”

The AHA/ASA’s Get With The Guidelines - Resuscitation program was developed to help save lives of patients who experience in-hospital cardiac arrests by consistently following the most up-to-date research-based guidelines for treatment. Guidelines include following protocols for patient safety, medical emergency team response, effective and timely resuscitation (CPR) and post-resuscitation care. Get With The Guidelines helps ensure the care provided to patients is aligned with the latest evidence- and research-based guidelines.

Each year, more than 300,000 adults and children experience an in-hospital cardiac arrest, according to the AHA/ASA. Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke or heart attack, and heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 5 causes of death in the U.S., respectively. Studies show patients can recover better when providers consistently follow treatment guidelines.

Get With The Guidelines - Stroke is an AHA/ASA in-hospital program to improve stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death.

“We are pleased to recognize St. Francis Medical Center for its commitment to caring for those in their community who need cardiovascular care,” said John Warner, M.D., FAHA, past president of the American Heart Association. “Hospitals that follow the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols often see improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities.”

About Get With The Guidelines®

Get With The Guidelines® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 12 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.