Press Releases

Community Medical Center Healthcare System receives American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines Gold Performance Achievement Award

For Immediate Release
Contact: Jane Gaul
Phone: 570-969-7002
j.gaul@cmchealthsys.org

SCRANTON, PA, December, 2008 — Community Medical Center Healthcare System recently received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines –Coronary Artery Disease (GWTG–CAD) Gold Performance Achievement Award. The award recognizes Community Medical Center’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of cardiac care that effectively improves treatment of patients hospitalized with coronary artery disease.

Under the GWTG–CAD program, patients are started on aggressive risk reduction therapies such as cholesterol-lowering drugs, aspirin, ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers in the hospital and receive smoking cessation/weight management counseling as well as referrals for cardiac rehabilitation before they are discharged. Hospitals that receive the GWTG-CAD Gold Performance Achievement Award have demonstrated for 24 consecutive months that at least 85 percent of its eligible coronary patients (without contraindications) are discharged following the American Heart Association’s recommended treatment guidelines.

“The American Heart Association applauds Community Medical Center for its success in implementing the appropriate evidence-based care and protocols to reduce the number of recurrent events and deaths in cardiovascular disease patients,” said Gregg C Fonarow, M.D., National Chairman of the Get With The Guidelines Steering Committee and Director of Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center. “Community Medical Center has achieved a high level of performance in terms of implementing these life-prolonging treatments.”

“Community Medical Center’s cardiac service is among the best in the country. The American Hospital Association ‘Get With The Guidelines’ award affirms that we are providing a standard of care based on the most up to date scientific guidelines to improve the long-term outcome for our patients, said John Nilsson, Interim CEO and President of Community Medical Center. We are extremely pleased to be recognized for our dedication and achievement in cardiac care”.

The American Heart Association’s GWTG–CAD program helps hospitals increase the use of and adherence to the association’s secondary prevention guidelines for coronary artery disease. Developed to assist healthcare professionals follow proven standards and procedures before patients are discharged, GWTG–CAD can help Community Medical Center reduce the risk of recurrent heart attacks and death in treated patients. The program, which works by mobilizing teams in acute care hospitals to implement American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology secondary prevention guidelines, was developed with support from an unrestricted educational grant from Merck & Co., Inc.

According to the American Heart Association, approximately 565,000 people suffer a new heart attack and 300,000 experience a recurrent heart attack each year. Statistics also show that within one year of a heart attack, 18 percent of men and 23 percent of women will die. Within five years after an attack, about 33 percent of men and 43 percent of women will die.

The American Heart Association’s GWTG program is being implemented in hospitals around the country.

Community Medical Center Receives Award from VHA Inc. for Clinical Excellence

For Immediate Release
Contact: Noelle Snyder
Phone: 570-969-8985
noelle.snyder@cmchealthsys.org

Irving, Texas (October 1, 2008) – Community Medical Center Healthcare Systems has received the Achieving Patient Care Excellence (APEX) Award from VHA Pennsylvania, the regional arm of VHA Inc., the national health care alliance. Community Medical Center won the award for its work to improve surgical care and prevent surgical infections.

The award recognizes Community Medical Center for meeting or exceeding national standards for care in this area. As of Oct. 1, 2008, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will no longer pay hospitals for the cost of treating many of these conditions.

“Community Medical Center’s goal is to promote and provide the best practice outcomes for our patients.” stated, John Nilsson, Interim CEO and President of Community Medical Center.

“VHA works with dozens of hospitals across Pennsylvania, and our mission is to help them become leading performers. We’re proud to say that many members have certainly demonstrated clinical excellence” said Steve Johnson, chief executive officer of Susquehanna Health and VHA Pennsylvania Board Chair. “VHA supports hospitals as they work to improve clinical care by providing Web tools to help them assess their current performance and clinical blueprints that guide better performance. Regional collaboratives and action planning meetings offer member networking opportunities to help accelerate the pace of internal change.”

Cliff Shannon, consultant with Pittsburgh Regional Healthcare Initiative, states “Public expectations, payer demands, and government mandates are pushing hospitals to provide better care. By recognizing these select hospitals with clinical quality awards, VHA is demonstrating that hospitals can overcome many obstacles that often stand in the way of achieving clinical excellence. They are to be congratulated for their fine work.”

VHA has 16 regional offices across the nation. Each office serves as a hub for the delivery and development of programs and services that help hospitals improve their operational and clinical performance.

VHA Inc., based in Irving, Texas, is a national alliance that provides industry-leading supply chain management services and supports the formation of regional and national networks to help members improve their clinical and economic performance. With 16 offices across the U.S., VHA has a track record of proven results in serving more than 1,400 not-for-profit hospitals and more than 23,000 non-acute care organizations nationwide.

CLICK to view APEX program.

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