Shannon Receives Multiple Awards for Heart and Stroke Care

SAN ANGELO, TX -- Shannon recently received multiple national awards from the American Heart and American Stroke Association including the Mission: Lifeline® Gold Receiving Quality Achievement Award and the Get With The Guidelines®-Heart Failure Gold Quality Achievement Award.

The Mission: Lifeline® Gold Receiving Quality Achievement Award was given to Shannon for implementation of specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association for the treatment of patients who suffer severe heart attacks and the Get With The Guidelines®-Heart (GWTG) Failure Gold Quality Achievement Award for implementation of specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Foundation’s Secondary Prevention Guidelines for patients with heart failure.

These awards demonstrate Shannon’s adherence to clinical guidelines to support better outcomes for all cardiac and stroke patients.

Every year, more than 250,000 people experience an ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) the deadliest type of heart attack caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. To prevent death, it’s critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, either by mechanically opening the blocked vessel or by providing clot-busting medication.

The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline Program’s goal is to reduce system barriers to prompt treatment for heart attacks, beginning with the 9-1-1 call and continuing through hospital treatment. Shannon is recognized for having a 85 percent composite adherence and at least 24 consecutive months of 75 percent or higher compliance on all Mission: Lifeline STEMI Receiving Center quality measures to improve the quality of care for STEMI patients.

GWTG-Heart Failure is a quality improvement program that helps hospital teams provide the most up-to-date, research-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing hospital readmission for heart failure patients. Launched in 2005, numerous published studies have demonstrated the program’s success in achieving patient outcome improvements, including reductions in 30-day readmissions.

Shannon earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the patient, proper use of medications and aggressive risk-reduction therapies. These would include ACE inhibitors/ARBs, beta-blockers, diuretics, anticoagulants and other appropriate therapies. Before patients are discharged, they also receive education on managing their heart failure and overall health, get a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as other care transition interventions.

Shannon also receives the Mission: Lifeline® NSTEMI Silver Quality Achievement Award and the Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Silver Plus Quality Achievement Award. For more information about heart health, visit www.shannonhealth.com or call325-481-2281.