Heart association recognizes Western Baptist in 'Best Hospitals' issue

                Western Baptist recognized for implementing quality heart care

           Western Baptist Hospital has been recognized in a national publication for achievement in treatment of coronary artery disease.   

            It is the only Kentucky hospital west of Louisville among 569 hospitals nationwide listed by The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association in the “America’s Best Hospitals” July 20 issue of US News & World Report.

            The hospitals are featured for using evidence-based guidelines to provide the best possible care to patients through the Get With The Guidelines program.

            The award recognizes Western Baptist’s efforts to reduce the risk of recurrent heart attacks and death among patients with cardiovascular disease. Patients receive cholesterol-lowering drugs, aspirin and other recommended medication in the hospital, as well as smoking cessation, weight management counseling and referrals for cardiac rehabilitation before they are discharged.

           Patrick Withrow, M.D., vice president/chief medical officer, said the award recognizes Western Baptist’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of cardiac care to improve treatment of patients hospitalized with coronary artery disease.

           “This award signifies Western Baptist’s desire to exceed patients’ expectations and national standards in excellence in heart care,” said Dr. Withrow. “We are doing that by building advanced facilities, implementing innovative new technologies and recruiting top physicians dedicated to the hospital’s healing mission of care.”

            The addition of Baptist Heart Center in 2007 was Kentucky’s first heart center of its kind west of Louisville, and Western Baptist’s chest pain center is western Kentucky’s only nationally-accredited center.

          Get With The Guidelines is a hospital-based quality-improvement program designed to ensure that hospitals consistently care for cardiac and stroke patients following the most up-to-date guidelines and recommendations.  The program addresses coronary artery disease, heart failure and stroke.  Currently more than 1,450 hospitals participate in the program.

         Lee Schwamm, M.D., national chairman of the Get With The Guidelines steering committee, associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and vice chairman of neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital, said The American Heart Association is pleased to recognize its top Get With The Guidelines participants.

        “Healthcare providers who use Get With The Guidelines are armed with the latest evidence-based guidelines and immediate access to clinical decision support, using a set of tools that have been shown to improve delivery of evidence-based care,” he said. “The goal of this initiative is to improve the quality of life and help reduce deaths and disability among patients with heart disease and stroke.”