Providence Alaska Medical Center recognized for providing high-quality cardiovascular care

American Heart Association honors hospital with ‘Get With The Guidelines’ award for 10th consecutive year, more than any other hospital in Alaska

 ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Providence Alaska Medical Center (PAMC) has received four American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines and Mission: Lifeline achievement awards for demonstrating commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease and stroke, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospital. 

The hospital received the following achievement awards:

·         Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus

·         Target: Stroke Elite Honor Roll

·         Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll

·         Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Receiving Gold Plus

 The American Heart Association also recognized PAMC for 10 or more consecutive calendar years of Gold Plus achievement in Get With The Guidelines-Stroke and/or Get With The Guidelines-Heart Failure, more than any other hospital in Alaska.

 “It’s truly an honor to once again be recognized by the American Heart Association, a testament to our caregivers' dedication to delivering high-quality, compassionate care to Alaskans facing heart attacks and strokes,” said Sarah Skeel, chief administrative officer, Providence Alaska Medical Center. “Earning the Get With The Guidelines achievement 10 years in a row demonstrates our consistent commitment to ensuring our patients not only receive great care, but also that Providence is using the latest guidelines and technology to provide that care.”

 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 and Mission: Lifeline put 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 Mission: Lifeline and Get With The Guidelines programs, PAMC qualified for the awards by demonstrating how their organization has committed to improving quality care.

 Hospitals and health systems that participate in the Get With The Guidelines program can improve patient outcomes across the board. 

 “These awards show Providence Alaska Medical Center'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 chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern Medicine. “By following the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols, PAMC 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.”

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About Providence Alaska Medical Center
Providence Alaska Medical Center, a nationally recognized trauma center and Alaska’s only Magnet hospital, is part of Providence, a not-for-profit network of hospitals, care centers, health plans, physicians, clinics, home health services, affiliated services and educational facilities. For more information, visit providence.org/locations/ak/alaska-medical-center. 

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 12 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.