American Heart Association presents Get With The Guidelines and Mission: Lifeline awards for proven dedication to best practices and life-saving care
West Orange, NJ, July 14, 2022 — RWJBarnabas Health announces several of its facilities have been recognized by The American Heart Association (AHA) / American Stroke Association for cardiac and stroke care earning a spot on the 2022 Get With The Guidelines® and Mission Lifeline achievement awards list in the stroke, heart failure and resuscitation categories. The awards recognize each hospitals’ commitment to ensuring stroke and heart failure patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence, ultimately leading to lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospital.
Jersey City Medical Center, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital were awarded with the ‘Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll’ award; Monmouth Medical Center was awarded with the ‘Get With The Guidelines®-Heart Failure Gold Plus with Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll’ award; Newark Beth Israel Medical Center was awarded with the ‘Get With The Guidelines®-Resuscitation Gold’ award; and Trinitas Regional Medical Center was awarded with the ‘Mission: Lifeline® Receiving Gold’ award.
The RWJBarnabas Health facilities earned the Get with The Guidelines® and Mission: Lifeline® awards by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure and stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke and heart treatments aligned with the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for patients. As part of the criteria, before discharge, patients were required to receive education on managing their overall health, get a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as receive other care transition interventions.
“The recognitions from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association is a testament and dedication to the interdisciplinary teamwork throughout RWJBarnabas Health,” said Gary J. Rogal, MD, FACC, Medical Director for RWJBarnabas Health Cardiovascular Services. “The framework developed to achieve these awards allows us to track and measure quality, exceed evidenced-based clinical guidelines, and provide superior patient outcomes. Receiving this recognition reflects positively on the clinicians and staff that made it happen as well as the overall mission of RWJBarnabas Health to deliver quality and compassionate care for each patient we serve.”
According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States, and more than 6.5 million adults in the United States are living with heart failure. Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke or heart attack. However, both heart failure patients and stroke patients can lead full, enjoyable lives when their conditions are managed with proper medications or devices and with healthy lifestyle changes.
RWJBarnabas Health offers New Jersey’s most comprehensive cardiac and vascular care program. For more information or to make an appointment with one of New Jersey’s top cardiac specialists, visit rwjbh.org/heart.
About RWJBarnabas Health
RWJBarnabas Health is the largest, most comprehensive academic health care system in New Jersey, with a service area covering eight counties with five million people. The system includes twelve acute care hospitals – Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, Community Medical Center in Toms River, Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, Jersey City Medical Center in Jersey City, Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Hamilton in Hamilton, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Rahway in Rahway, and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset in Somerville; Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth; three acute care children's hospitals; Children’s Specialized Hospital, including a network of outpatient centers; a behavioral health center and the state’s largest behavioral health network; two trauma centers; a satellite emergency department; ambulatory care centers; geriatric centers; comprehensive home care and hospice programs; fitness and wellness centers; retail pharmacy services; an affiliated medical group; multi-site imaging centers; and two accountable care organizations.
RWJBarnabas Health is among New Jersey’s largest private employers – with more than 38,000 employees and 9,000 physicians – and routinely captures national awards for outstanding quality and safety. RWJBarnabas Health, in partnership with Rutgers University, is New Jersey’s largest academic health care system. The collaboration aligns RWJBarnabas Health with Rutgers’ education, research, and clinical activities, including those at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey – the state's only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center – and Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care.