UC Davis Medical Center has been recognized by the American Heart Association with multiple awards for its commitment to following research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease and stroke. The practices ultimately lead to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospital.

Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke or heart attack, and heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 5 causes of death in the U.S., respectively. Studies show patients can recover better when providers consistently follow treatment guidelines.

The awards are part of the Get With The Guidelines and Mission: Lifeline programs run by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association.  The goal is to help ensure patient care is aligned with the latest evidence- and research-based guidelines.

“UC Davis Health is committed to improving care for heart attacks and strokes across our Sacramento region,” said David Lubarsky, vice chancellor of human health sciences and CEO of UC Davis Health. “Our teams are national leaders in terms of delivering the timeliest of care and the very best outcomes. The Mission: Lifeline and the Get With The Guidelines programs are two we have used to highlight our excellence.”

This year, UC Davis Medical Center received these achievement awards:

• Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Award
  • Target: Stroke Elite Plus Honor Roll
  • Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
  • Target: Stroke Advanced Therapy Honor Roll
• Get With The Guidelines®-Heart Failure Silver Plus Award
  
  • Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• Mission: Lifeline® STEMI Receiving Silver Plus Award

“We are pleased to recognize UC Davis Medical Center for its commitment to caring for those in their community who need cardiovascular care,” said John Warner, past president of the American Heart Association and CEO of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “Hospitals that follow the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols often see improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities.”