Saint Francis Hospital is Nationally Recognized for its Commitment to Providing High-Quality Cardiovascular and Stroke Care

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Saint Francis Hospital has received recognition from the American Heart Association for demonstrating commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart failure and stroke, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times, and fewer readmissions to the hospital. This year, Saint Francis received Get With The Guidelines® Gold Plus Awards for Stroke and Heart Failure.

Along with the Get With The Guidelines Gold Plus achievement awards, Saint Francis earned Target Stroke Honor Roll Elite recognition by meeting specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with thrombolytic therapy. The Saint Francis Heart Failure Program achieved Honor Roll status for meeting criteria in medication optimization, early follow up care coordination, and enhanced patient education. Finally, the hospital’s Heart Failure and Stroke Programs earned the Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award, which recognizes hospitals that 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 or heart failure.

“Saint Francis Hospital is committed to improving care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines and streamlining processes to ensure timely and proper care for heart failure and strokes,” said Valerie Powell-Stafford, MHSA, FACHE, President, Saint Francis Hospital. “The Get With The Guidelines programs make it easier for our talented teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which helps us ensure more people in the greater Hartford region experience longer, healthier lives.”

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. Stroke is the leading cause of disability in the United States. Early detection and treatment of stroke and heart failure are key to improving survival, minimizing disability, and accelerating recovery times. 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 Get With The Guidelines programs, Saint Francis qualified for the awards by demonstrating how their organization has committed to improving quality care.

“These awards show Saint Francis Hospital’s commitment to caring for those in their community who need cardiovascular care,” said Donald Lloyd-Jones, chair of the American Heart Association Quality Oversight Committee and chare of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern Medicine. “By following the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols, Saint Francis can help realize our shared vision of improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions, and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families, and communities.”