Lahey Hospital & Medical Center Is Nationally Recognized for Its Commitment to Providing High-Quality Stroke Care

The American Heart Association Presents the Get With the Guidelines Awards for Proven Dedication to Best Practices and Life-Saving Care

Burlington, Mass. – Lahey Hospital & Medical Center (LHMC) has received four American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines achievement awards for demonstrating a commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of stroke, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospital.

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 United States, respectively. Studies show patients can recover better when providers consistently follow treatment guidelines.

Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest evidence- and research-based guidelines. As a participant in the Get With The Guidelines program, LHMC qualified for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to improving quality care.

“We are proudly committed to delivering the best patient care while adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said Susan Moffat-Bruce, MD, PhD, President of LHMC. “The American Heart Association’s Get With the Guidelines program provides research-based recommendations to encourage the best outcomes for our patients. The expertise of our staff, combined with these guidelines, offers patients a chance to lead healthier lives.”

This year, LHMC received these achievement awards:

• Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus: Hospitals receiving Get With The Guidelines Gold Plus achievement award have reached an aggressive goal of treating patients to core standard levels of care as outlined by the American Stroke Association for 2 consecutive calendar years or more. In addition, those hospitals have demonstrated compliance to an additional level of quality during the 24-month or greater period.
• Target: Stroke Elite Award: To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster alteplase.
• Target: Type 2 Diabetes: Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke.
• Get With The Guidelines – Resuscitation Silver (adult population): LHMC received the American Heart Association’s Get With the Guidelines Resuscitation Silver award.

“We are pleased to recognize LHMC 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 and CEO of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “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 Lahey Hospital & Medical Center

Lahey Hospital & Medical Center (LHMC) is a world-renowned tertiary academic medical center known for its innovative technology, pioneering medical treatments and leading-edge research. As a physician-led hospital, LHMC offers a legacy of care and education committed to putting the patient at the center through a multidisciplinary, collaborative and team-based approach. LHMC’s research efforts and clinical trials cross numerous medical disciplines, providing patients with access to the latest options in treatment and care.

LHMC is a part of Beth Israel Lahey Health, a health care system that brings together academic medical centers and teaching hospitals, community and specialty hospitals, more than 4,700 physicians and 39,000 employees in a shared mission to expand access to great care and advance the science and practice of medicine through groundbreaking research and education.