HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and HCA Florida West Marion Hospital have received four awards from the American Heart Association for demonstrating a commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease and stroke.
Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke or heart attack, and heart disease and stroke are the leading and fifth-leading causes of death in the nation, respectively. Studies have shown that patients can recover better when providers consistently follow treatment guidelines, according to HCA Florida Healthcare.
Through the Get With The Guidelines and Mission: Lifeline programs, the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association work with hospitals nationwide to ensure that patient care is aligned with the latest evidence- and research-based guidelines.
As a participant in these programs, HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and HCA Florida West Marion Hospital both qualified for the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines and Mission: Lifeline achievement awards by demonstrating how their organizations have committed to improving the quality of care.
“HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and HCA Florida West Marion Hospital are 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,” stated Alan Keesee, CEO of HCA Florida Ocala Hospital. “The Mission: Lifeline and Get With The Guidelines programs make it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which helps us ensure more people in Ocala experience longer, healthier lives.”
This year, HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and HCA Florida West Marion Hospital both received the following achievement awards: Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Elite Plus Honor Roll and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll.
“We are pleased to recognize HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and HCA Florida West Marion Hospital for their commitment to caring for those in their community who need cardiovascular care,” stated John Warner (M.D., FAHA, past president of the American Heart Association, and CEO of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center).
Warner added, “Hospitals that follow the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols often see improved patient outcomes, fewer re-admissions, and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families, and communities.”
To learn more about the Get With The Guidelines quality improvement program, visit the American Heart Association website.
For more information about HCA Florida Healthcare, which includes over 570 affiliated sites of care across the state including HCA Florida Ocala Hospital (1431 SW 1st Avenue in Ocala) and HCA Florida West Marion Hospital (4600 SW 46th Court in Ocala), visit the HCA Florida Healthcare website.