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AHA grants recognition to Memorial's Get with the Guidelines program

Gia Alessandra Coone, executive director for the American Heart Association’s Northeast Affiliate, presents a certificate designating Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center as a Get with the Guidelines- Heart Failure hospital to Memorial President & CEO Joseph A. Ruffolo.

Niagara Falls Memorial Medical has received recognition from the American Heart Association as a Get with the Guidelines- Heart Failure (GWTG-HF) hospital.

The recognition signifies that Memorial is participating in the Get with the GuidelinesSM program, a quality improvement initiative that includes evidence-based treatment guidelines and procedures for heart failure patients to prevent future hospitalizations.

Under the program, heart failure patients are started on aggressive risk reduction therapies such as cholesterol-lowering drugs, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, aspirin, diuretics, and anticoagulants in the hospital. They also receive alcohol/drug use and thyroid management counseling and referrals for cardiac rehabilitation before being discharged. These standards of care are outlined in the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology secondary prevention guidelines for patients with heart failure.

According to the American Heart Association, about 5 million people suffer from heart failure. Statistics also show the incidence of heart failure has not declined in two decades and each year more than 52,000 people will die of heart failure.
“Niagara Falls Memorial is dedicated to making our care for heart failure patients among the best in the country. Implementing the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines program will help us accomplish this by making it easier for our professionals to improve the long-term outcome for these patients,” said Kelly M. Fitzgerald, RN, BS, director of Cardio-Pulmonary Services.