Albany Medical Center, a member of the Albany Med Health System that includes Saratoga Hospital and Glens Falls Hospital, has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines – Heart Failure Gold Plus quality achievement award for its commitment to improving outcomes for patients with heart failure, meaning reduced readmissions and more healthy days at home.
About six million adults are living with heart failure (HF) in the United States, a number that is expected to increase to more than eight million by 2030. Despite the name, HF doesn’t mean that the heart has stopped working. It means the heart is having a hard time pumping blood and oxygen throughout the body.
Officials said that while there’s no cure for HF, patients can live a quality life by working with their health care team to create and stick with a plan that may include medication, symptom monitoring and lifestyle changes.
The Get With The Guidelines – Heart Failure quality achievement award is earned by hospitals that demonstrate a commitment to treating patients according to the most up-to-date guidelines as outlined by the American Heart Association.
Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research- and evidence-based guidelines. The program aims to increase healthy days at home and reduce hospital readmissions for heart failure patients.
“Albany Medical Center is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said Dr. Edward Philbin, chief of cardiology at Albany Medical Center. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help patients recover better. The end goal is to ensure more people in our region can experience longer, healthier lives.”
Each year, program participants qualify for the award recognition by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for HF patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also provide education to patients to help them manage their HF at home.
“We are pleased to recognize the leaders and teams at Albany Medical Center for a strong commitment to caring for people with heart failure,” said Dr. Clyde W. Yancy, 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. “Hospitals that participate in Get With The Guidelines quality improvement programs often see better patient outcomes, fewer readmissions, and lower mortality rates—a win for health care systems, families, and communities.
Albany Medical Center is also recognized on the American Heart Association’s Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll. Hospitals on the Honor Roll meet specific criteria that improves medication adherence, provides early follow-up care and coordination, and enhances patient education. The goal is to further reduce hospital readmissions and help patients improve their quality of life in managing this chronic condition.
Albany Medical Center’s team of heart specialists, electrophysiologists, cardiac interventionalists, and surgeons work together to diagnose and treat the specific cause of heart failure. The Albany Med Heart Failure Program has been certified by The Joint Commission, collaboration with the American Heart Association, as an Advanced Heart Failure program since 2010.
The certification requires the hospital demonstrate excellence in program management, clinical information management, delivering or facilitating clinical care, supporting self-management, and measuring and improving performance.
This is Albany Medical Center’s 18th year of recognition by the American Heart Association for its heart failure care.