Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) has received five American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines 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.

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 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, NGMC qualified for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to improving quality care.

“Northeast Georgia Medical Center is committed to improving care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines and streamlining processes to ensure timely and proper care for heart attacks and strokes,” Ugochukwu Egolum, MD, Medical Director of the Heart Failure Center at Georgia Heart Institute. “The Get With The Guidelines program makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which helps us ensure more people in our community experience longer, healthier lives.”

This year, NGMC received these achievement awards:

Get With The Guidelines – Heart Failure Bronze
NGMC Braselton
NGMC Gainesville
Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
NGMC Barrow
NGMC Braselton
Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus, Advanced Therapy and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
NGMC Gainesville
“We are pleased to recognize Northeast Georgia Medical Center for its commitment to caring for those in their community who need cardiovascular care,” said John Warner, M.D., FAHA, past president of the American Heart Association and executive vice president for health system affairs at UT Southwestern Medical Center, in Dallas. “Hospitals that follow the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols often see improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities.”