Crestwood Medical Center Earns National Recognition for Efforts to Improve Management of Atrial Fibrillation
8/24/2021
The American Heart Association presents Get With The Guidelines-AFIB Gold award for commitment to prioritizing quality care for AFIB patients
HUNTSVILLE, AL— Crestwood Medical Center has received the American Heart Association’s Gold Get With The Guidelines®-AFIB Quality Achievement Award for its commitment to managing atrial fibrillation (AFIB), ultimately helping to reduce patients’ stroke risk.
More than 2.7 million adults suffer from AFIB, an irregular heartbeat that can lead to stroke and other complications. People with AFIB are at a five times greater risk for stroke, but proper treatment can reduce these risks.
Get With The Guidelines-AFIB was developed to assist healthcare professionals to provide the most up-to-date, research-based guidelines for treating AFIB patients.
“Crestwood Medical Center is dedicated to improving the quality of care for our patients with atrial fibrillation by implementing the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines-AFIB initiative,” says Kris Goodwin, chief nursing officer at Crestwood. “The end goal is to ensure more people in North Alabama can experience longer, healthier lives. We commend our cardiovascular physicians and staff for their hard work and commitment to achieve this recognition.”
Each year program participants apply for the award recognition by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for AFIB patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, participants also provide education to patients to help them manage their AFIB once at home. There are four levels of achievement -- Gold, Silver, Bronze and Participating.
“We are pleased to recognize Crestwood Medical Center for their commitment to atrial fibrillation care,” said Jonathan Piccini, M.D., MHS, FACC, FAHA, FHRS; volunteer expert for the American Heart Association and associate professor of medicine and director of cardiac electrophysiology for Duke University Medical Center. “Hospitals that follow Get With The Guidelines protocols often see fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for healthcare 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 9 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.
Back