The Medical Center, Navicent Health has received the Get With The Guidelines-AFIB Bronze Quality Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology/Heart Rhythm Society guidelines for the management of patients with atrial fibrillation.
 
Get With The Guidelines-AFIB was developed to assist healthcare professionals to provide the most up-to-date, research-based guidelines for patients with atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat that can lead to stroke and other complications.
 
MCNH earned the award for meeting specific quality achievement measures at a set level for a designated period.  These measures include proper use of medications and aggressive risk reduction therapies such as safe anticoagulants to prevent stroke. Also evaluated is the use of medications to stabilize the heart rate and rhythm and other medications needed to treat additional heart disease. Before they are discharged, patients also receive education on managing their condition and stroke risk, counseling if needed, and plans on follow-up care.

“The Medical Center, Navicent Health is dedicated to improving the quality of care for our patients with atrial fibrillation, and implementing the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines-AFIB program helps us accomplish this goal by tracking and measuring our success in meeting internationally-respected clinical guidelines,” said Tom Oliver, MD, Chief Medical Officer for MCNH.

“We are pleased to recognize The Medical Center, Navicent Health for their commitment to atrial fibrillation care,” said Paul Heidenreich, M.D., M.S., national chairman of the Get With The Guidelines Steering Committee and Professor of Medicine at Stanford University. “Research has shown there are benefits to patients who are treated at hospitals that have adopted the Get With The Guidelines program. Get With The Guidelines research has demonstrated the impact of lowering 30-day readmissions and reducing mortality rates.”

According to the American Heart Association, more than 2.7 million adults suffer from atrial fibrillation.  The condition accounts for about one-third of hospitalizations for cardiac rhythm disturbance and is associated with a five-fold increase risk of stroke. Proper treatment of atrial fibrillation can reduce these risks.