Three hospitals in the Temple Health system have been awarded Gold Plus status by the American Heart Association (AHA) for their commitment to improving care for stroke patients through their participation in the Get With The Guidelines quality improvement program.
Temple University Hospital-Main Campus, TUH-Jeanes Campus, and Temple Health-Chestnut Hill Hospital are among the more than 3,000 hospitals nationally that participate in the AHA Get With The Guidelines program, which increases hospitals' access to research and guidelines that support improved patient care.
The Stroke Gold Plus designation from the AHA recognizes a hospital’s commitment to the highest standards of stroke care through an incorporation of nationally recognized, research-based guidelines that help improve patient outcomes, save lives, and reduce disability.
"Every day, care teams across our system are dedicated to ensuring that patients receive the right care at the right time." said Abhi Rastogi, MBA, MIS, president and CEO of Temple Health. "That commitment to maintaining the highest standards drives our mission to improve outcomes for patients in these critical moments.”
AHA data identifies heart disease and stroke as the No. 1 and No. 4 leading causes of death in the United States, respectively.
Hospitals that have participated in the Get With the Guidelines program since its launch more than two decades ago have experienced fewer readmissions, lower mortality, and improved patient outcomes related to both heart disease and stroke, according to the AHA.
"This recognition from the American Heart Association is an acknowledgment of our system's commitment to incorporate the latest evidence-based research to drive improvements in stroke care," said Daniel M. Feinberg, MD, FAAN, chief medical officer of Temple University Hospital, Inc.