Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center receives get with the guidelines - heart failure and stroke gold plus quality achievement awards

Pomona, Calif., (June 25, 2019) - Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines^®-Heart Failure and Stroke Care Gold Plus Quality Achievement Awards. The awards recognize the hospital’s commitment to ensuring heart failure and stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines founded in the latest scientific evidence.

PVHMC earned the awards by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure and stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications, aggressive risk-reduction therapies, various stroke treatments aligned with the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. Before discharge, patients should also receive education on managing their heart failure and overall health, get a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as other care transition interventions.

“We are dedicated to improving the quality of care for our patients with heart failure and those impacted by stroke by implementing the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines initiatives,” said President and CEO Richard E. Yochum. “The tools and resources provided help us track and measure our success in meeting evidenced-based clinical guidelines developed to improve patient outcomes.”

PVHMC is also recognized on the association’s Target: Stroke^SM Honor Roll. To qualify for the Target: Stroke Honor Roll, hospitals must meet quality measures developed to reduce the time between the patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat ischemic stroke.

“We are pleased to recognize PVHMC for their commitment to heart failure and stroke care,” said Lee H. Schwamm, M.D., national chairperson of the Quality Oversight Committee and Executive Vice Chair of Neurology, Director of Acute Stroke Services, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. “Research has shown that hospitals adhering to clinical measures through the Get With The Guidelines quality improvement initiative can often see fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates.”

According to the American Heart Association, 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.

ABOUT PVHMC
Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center (PVHMC), a nationally recognized and accredited 412-bed, not-for-profit community medical center and trauma center, proudly serves residents in eastern Los Angeles and western San Bernardino counties. PVHMC’s accolades include The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for advanced certification in inpatient diabetes care, palliative care, sepsis, perinatal care and total joint replacement. As the largest birthing hospital in Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties, PVHMC is honored to hold the prestigious Baby-Friendly designation. The Hospital is among the top 10% of all short-term acute care hospitals in the United States to receive the Healthgrades® Patient Safety Excellence Award. For more information, visit pvhmc.org.

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 6 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.