The American Heart Association has recognized two Finger Lakes hospitals for providing high-quality, evidence-based care to patients experiencing heart attacks and strokes.
University of Rochester Medicine Finger Lakes Health announced that Geneva General Hospital and Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital in Penn Yan received multiple Get With The Guidelines® achievement awards for their commitment to improving patient outcomes through timely treatment and adherence to nationally recognized standards of care.
Heart disease and stroke remain among the leading causes of death in the United States. According to the American Heart Association, people living in rural communities face a 40 percent higher risk of developing heart disease and a 30 percent greater risk of dying from stroke than those in urban areas.
“Providing exceptional patient care is our highest priority,” said Dr. Matthew Talbott, Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Medical Affairs for UR Medicine Finger Lakes Health. “These recognitions reflect the dedication, expertise and collaboration of our physicians, nurses, emergency responders and clinical teams who work every day to ensure our patients receive timely, evidence-based care close to home.”
Both Geneva General Hospital and Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital earned the Rural Coronary Artery Disease STEMI and NSTE-ACS Get With The Guidelines Gold Achievement Awards. The honors recognize hospitals for excellence in treating patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the most severe type of heart attack, as well as non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome through rapid response, coordinated care and adherence to evidence-based treatment guidelines.
Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital also received the Bronze Award for Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Referring Center. The designation recognizes hospitals that do not provide around-the-clock cardiac catheterization services but have demonstrated excellence in coordinating with emergency medical services and regional partners to ensure patients receive prompt transfer for advanced cardiac care when needed.
For stroke care, Geneva General Hospital earned the Rural Stroke Gold Plus award, along with the Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll distinctions. Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital received the Rural Stroke Silver award, recognizing its commitment to delivering timely, guideline-based stroke treatment.
The American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines program is a national quality improvement initiative that helps hospitals measure and improve their performance in treating cardiovascular disease and stroke using the latest evidence-based clinical guidelines.
Finger Lakes Health officials said the awards highlight the organization’s continued commitment to providing advanced heart and stroke care close to home for residents throughout the Finger Lakes region.
