Stony Brook Hospital Recognized For Heart Failure Management

Press release from SBUH:

Nov. 22, 2021

Stony Brook University Hospital has received the American Heart Association’s Gold Plus Get With The Guidelines®- Heart Failure Quality Achievement Award. The Gold Plus award, which Stony Brook has received for the third consecutive year, 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 speeding recovery and reducing hospital readmissions for heart failure patients.

“The award is a reflection of Stony Brook University Hospital's commitment to excellence in heart failure care,” said Marc Goldschmidt, MD, Director, Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathy Center and Medical Director, Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Program at the Stony Brook University Heart Institute.

“Research has shown that by adhering to clinical measures through the Get With The Guidelines quality improvement initiative, we can often see fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates,” added Edlira Tam, DO, Associate Director of the Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Program at the Stony Brook University Heart Institute.

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.

“Being part of this initiative means that we continuously track our success in meeting evidenced-based clinical guidelines — all with the ultimate goal of delivering optimal outcomes for our patients,” said Hal Skopicki, MD, PhD, Co-Director, Stony Brook University Heart Institute and the Ambassador Charles A. Gargano Chief of Cardiology.

Michelle Bloom, MD, Director, Cardio-Oncology Program and Director, Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathy Center at the Stony Brook University Heart Institute, added “Comprehensive care of our heart failure patients requires an entire team including specialized nurses, nurse practitioners, coordinators, physicians and researchers who can not only diagnose advanced cardiology disease but are experts at determining its cause and providing cutting edge care.”
Stony Brook University Hospital’s Gold Plus Get With The Guidelines®- Heart Failure Quality Achievement Award is significant as it is the highest of six levels of achievement – Gold Plus, Gold, Silver Plus, Silver, Bronze and Participating. “We are pleased to recognize Stony Brook University Hospital for their commitment to heart failure care,” said Clyde W. Yancy, M.D., MSc, MACC, FAHA, MACP, FHFSA, national chairperson of the American Heart Association Heart Failure systems of care advisory group and chief, division of cardiology at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine.

This press release was produced by SBUH. The views expressed here are the author's own.