NASSAU UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER RECEIVES “”GET WITH THE GUIDELINES GOLD PLUS QUALITY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD”” FOR HEART FAILURE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 19, 2013
PRESS CONTACT:
Shelley Lotenberg
shelley@numc.edu
516-572-6055
NASSAU UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER RECEIVES “GET WITH THE GUIDELINES GOLD PLUS QUALITY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD” FOR HEART FAILURE
Award demonstrates NUMC’s commitment to quality care for heart failure patients
EAST MEADOW, NY….. NUMC has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s “Get With The Guidelines® Heart Failure – Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award “. The award recognizes the Nassau University Medical Center’s commitment and success in implementing excellent care for cardiac patients, according to evidence-based guidelines.
To receive the award, NUMC achieved 85 percent or higher adherence to all Get With The Guidelines-Heart Failure Quality Achievement indicators for two or more consecutive 12-month intervals and achieved 75 percent or higher compliance with five or more Get With The Guidelines-Heart Failure Quality Measures, which are reporting initiatives to measure quality of care and outcomes.
“Get With The Guidelines Heart Failure-Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award demonstrates NUMC’s commitment to being one of the top hospitals in the country for providing aggressive, proven cardiac care of very sick patients who receive world-class care in heart failure. It also represents a culmination of priorities to raise the bar in quality by focusing on the number one cause for hospital readmissions,” stated Arthur A. Gianelli, President/CEO of the NuHealth System. “We commend Amgad N. Makaryus, MD, FACC, FACP, FASE, FSCCT, chair of the department of cardiology and his dedicated professionals whose collaborative work allowed us to achieve this success.”
“NUMC is to be commended for its commitment to implementing standards of care and protocols for treating heart failure patients,” said Lee H. Schwamm, M.D., chair of the Get With The Guidelines National Steering Committee. “The full implementation of acute care and secondary prevention recommendations and guidelines is a critical step in saving the lives and improving outcomes of heart failure patients.”
Steven J. Walerstein, MD, FACP, executive vice president for medical affairs and medical director for the NuHealth System, added: “The time is right for NUMC to be focused on improving the quality of cardiac care by implementing Get With The Guidelines Gold Plus-Heart Failure. Our cardiology partnership with the North Shore-LIJ Health System has lead to an intensified effort to improve mortality outcomes in acute MI and heart failure. Being able to offer patients the very best heart failure care will no doubt improve care of the elderly in our community”.
“This award is a true tribute to the top-notch, excellent, and compassionate care that the members of my cardiology team at NUMC are able to deliver to our patients,” said Amgad N. Makaryus, MD, FACC, FACP, FASE, FSCCT, chair of the department of cardiology. “We strive to excel in all areas of cardiology as we have in heart failure.”
About the Heart Failure Center at NUMC
The new heart failure center is located on the 2nd floor of the DCB building at NUMC. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Patients with risk factors like hypertension, ischemic heart disease and valvular heart disease may seek consultation. The center provides all aspects of cardiology diagnostic testing, laboratory services, IV infusion therapies, ambulatory Holter, loop implant, device monitoring and pre-transplant evaluations and diagnostic testing. In-patient scope of services include critical care, invasive hemodynamic monitoring, device therapy including defibrillator implantation and post-device care, inpatient education, hospital to home transitional care and post-discharge calls and visits. For more information, please call (516) 296-4949 or email dahern@numc.edu
ABOUT NUHEALTH
NuHealth is a Long Island health care organization delivering essential medical care and disease and lifestyle management to everyone at every stage of life. Also known as Nassau Health Care Corporation, NuHealth is a public benefit corporation managing the operations of Nassau Medical Center, A. Holly Patterson Extended Care and a network of Family Health Centers that bring primary and specialty care out into the community. By emphasizing wellness, cultural sensitivity and collaborative efforts with the North Shore-LIJ Health System, NuHealth is working to make good care more affordable and easier to access.
For more information about NuHealth or its Centers of Care, visit www.nuhealth.net.