Each year, more than 300,000 adults and children throughout the United States experience an in-hospital cardiac arrest. Survival from cardiac arrest largely depends on timely medical emergency team response and effective CPR.
St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens recently received an American Heart Association’s (AHA’s) Get With The Guidelines – Gold quality achievement award for its commitment to treating in-hospital cardiac arrest.
“St. Mary’s is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest resuscitation guidelines,” said Stonish Pierce, president and CEO of Trinity Health Georgia, which includes St. Mary’s Hospital.
“Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help more patients who have cardiac arrest survive.
The end goal is to ensure more people in Athens and all across our region can experience longer, healthier lives.”
AHA’s Get With The Guidelines resuscitation program sets standards to help hospitals consistently follow the most up-to-date, research-based guidelines for treatment as outlined by the American Heart Association.
Guidelines include following protocols for patient safety, medical emergency team response, effective and timely resuscitation (CPR) and post-resuscitation care.
Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure the care provided to patients is aligned with the latest evidence- and research-based guidelines.
“Hospitals that participate in Get With The Guidelines often see improved patient outcomes and improved survival rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities,” said Tia Raymond, M.D., national chairperson of the American Heart Association’s Resuscitation Systems of Care Advisory Group and a pediatric cardiac intensivist at Medical City Children’s Hospital in Dallas.
Since its inception in 2001, Get With The Guidelines has affected the lives of more than 12 million patients. For more information, visit AHA online at heart.org.