Excela Health Continues To Earn National Recognition For Exemplary Care Of Heart And Stroke Patients

American Heart Association presents multiple Achievement Awards for quality care

GREENSBURG, PA. August 26, 2021 — Excela Health through its three member hospitals has received multiple American Heart Association Achievement Awards for demonstrated commitment to ensuring cardiovascular patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer returns to the hospital.
Nearly half of all adults in the United States have experienced some form of cardiovascular disease – including heart attack, stroke and heart failure. For patients with conditions that are severe enough to be transported or admitted to a hospital, time is critical.
The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® and Get With The Guidelines® programs help reduce barriers to prompt treatment for cardiovascular events. As a participant in both programs, Excela Health earned award recognitions by demonstrating how the health system has committed to delivering quality care for patients.

“Excela Health is honored to be recognized by the American Heart Association for our dedication to helping our patients have the best possible chance of survival after cardiovascular events,” said Chief Medical Office Carol Fox, MD, FAAFP. “Mission: Lifeline and Get With The Guidelines programs give our teams evidence-based knowledge and clinical tools to use on a daily basis to improve outcomes. The recognitions clearly demonstrate our commitment to putting the needs of our patients first on a daily basis. And while we are gratified that the consistency of our efforts are note-worthy, it is our patients who are most grateful for the exemplary care.”

This year, all Excela Health hospitals received the American Heart Association’s Gold PlusGet With The Guidelines^®-Stroke Quality Achievement Award. To earn this distinction, Excela Frick Hospital, Excela Latrobe Hospital and Excela Westmoreland Hospital each met aggressive clinical goals for treating patients in seven core standard levels of care as outlined by American Heart Association/American Stroke Association for two consecutive calendar years, as well as compliance with stroke quality measures during the specific 12-month evaluation period. Gold Plus Quality Awards are advanced levels of recognition acknowledging hospitals for consistent adherence to quality measures.

Excela Health hospitalsare already recognizedas Primary Stroke Centers, which features a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department.

Excela Westmoreland Hospital also was awarded the Mission: Lifeline® Receiving Bronze Plus Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures to treat patients who suffer severe heart attacks. The Bronze award reflects a shorter data review period. In future award applications, Excela Health will be eligible for Silver and Gold as more data is gathered.

Each year, more than 250,000 people experience an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI),the deadliest type of heart attack, caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. To prevent death, it is critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, either by mechanically opening the blocked vessel or by providing clot-busting medication.

The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program helps reduce barriers to prompt treatment for heart attacks – starting from when 9-1-1 is called, to EMS transport and continuing through hospital treatment and discharge. Optimal care for heart attack patients takes coordination between the individual hospital, EMS and healthcare system.

“We are pleased to recognize Excela Health for their commitment to cardiovascular care,” said Lee H. Schwamm, MD, national chairperson of the American Heart Association’s Quality Oversight Committee and Executive Vice Chair of Neurology, Director of Acute Stroke Services, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston. “Research has shown that hospitals adhering to clinical measures through the American Heart Association’s quality improvement programs often see fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates.”

About Mission: Lifeline

The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program helps hospitals and emergency medical services develop systems of care that follow proven standards and procedures for STEMI patients. The program works by mobilizing teams across the continuum of care to implement American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Foundation clinical treatment guidelines. For more information, visit heart.org.

About Get With The Guidelines

Get With The Guidelines^® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 9 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.

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