AHA Recognizes Quality of URMC Cardiac, Heart Failure, Stroke Programs

Strong Memorial only Rochester-area hospital to get Triple Performance Achievement Award

July 15, 2008

The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association has honored Strong Memorial Hospital of the University of Rochester Medical Center with a Triple Performance Achievement Award for meeting its high standards for coronary artery disease, heart failure and stroke care.

Strong Memorial is the only Rochester-area hospital to receive this honor, and the only Rochester-area hospital to receive any level of American Heart Association recognition for its coronary artery disease and heart failure care.

The achievements of Strong Memorial in three program modules of the AHA/ASA Get With the Guidelines (GWTG) program consist of: coronary artery disease and stroke care, which each earned a Gold Sustained Performance Award to celebrate two or more years of adherence to all measures of AHA/ASA performance standards; and heart failure care, which received a Silver Performance Achievement Award for 12 consecutive months of compliance of performance measures.

Highland Hospital, an affiliate of the University of Rochester Medical Center, is recognized with the Silver Performance Achievement Award for 12-month compliance of its stroke initiatives.

A complete list of award-winners is published in an AHA/ASA advertising announcement in the July 21 “America’s Best Hospitals” issue of U.S. News & World Report.

GWTG 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. Upon meeting each module’s criteria, hospitals are recognized if at least 85 percent of their cardiac or stroke patients are treated and discharged according to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s recommendations.

“We are proud to be recognized with the Triple Performance Achievement Award,” said Richard M. Pomerantz, M.D., chief of Clinical Cardiology. “This is further recognition of our efforts to continuously improve care for heart patients as we strive to be the best and most comprehensive center for cardiac care.”

Curtis G. Benesch, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Strong Stroke Center, said, “We have long been committed to implementing the highest standards of care for stroke patients and work to further improve our comprehensive system for swift diagnosis and treatment. This award recognizes the exemplary effort of our entire team in both the treatment and prevention of stroke.”