PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Medical Center and Fairview Hospital have received nine 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 participants in the Get With The Guidelines program, BMC and Fairview qualified for the awards by demonstrating how each entity has committed to improving quality care. 

 

"Berkshire Medical Center and Fairview 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," said James Lederer, MD, Berkshire Health Systems Chief Medical Officer and Chief Quality Officer. "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 the Berkshire region experience longer, healthier lives."  

 

This year, Berkshire Medical Center received the following achievement awards: 

 

Get With The Guidelines - Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI Gold 

 

Get With The Guidelines - Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll 

 

Get With The Guidelines - Heart Failure Gold Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll 

 

Get With The Guidelines - Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Referring Silver 

 

Get With The Guidelines - Resuscitation Silver 

 

 

Fairview Hospital received the following achievement awards: 

 

Get With The Guidelines - Heart Failure Gold with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll 

 

Get With The Guidelines - Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Referring Silver 

 

Get With The Guidelines - Rural Stroke Silver  

 

Get With The Guidelines - Rural Coronary Artery Disease Bronze 

 

"These awards show Berkshire Medical Center and Fairview Hospital's commitment to caring for those in their community who need cardiovascular care," said Donald Lloyd-Jones, chair of the American Heart Association Quality Oversight Committee and chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern Medicine. "By following the American Heart Association's quality improvement protocols, BMC and Fairview can help realize our shared vision of improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities."