Adventist Health St. Helena Nationally Recognized for Providing High-Quality Heart Care

Adventist Health St. Helena has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines^® - Heart Failure Gold and Get With The Guidelines^® - Stroke Silver Plus quality achievement awards, highlighting its dedication to improving outcomes for heart failure and stroke patients through evidence-based practices and compassionate care. Each year, program participants qualify for these awards by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality patient care. Participants in the Get With The Guidelines program educate patients to aid in managing health and recovery at home.

“Adventist Health St. Helena is dedicated to advancing patient care with the latest heart failure treatment guidelines,” stated Kathleen Tong, MD, Medical Officer. “Our AHA Get With the Guidelines® Heart Failure Gold award affirms our commitment to high-quality care and healthcare leadership, inspiring us to maintain excellence.”

“We are pleased to recognize the leaders and teams at Adventist Health St. Helena for a strong commitment to caring for people with heart failure,” said Sabra Lewsey, M.D., MPH, chair of the American Heart Association Heart Failure System of Care Advisory Group and assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

About 6 million U.S. adults live with heart failure (HF), where the heart struggles to pump blood and oxygen effectively—a number expected to exceed 8 million by 2030. Despite its name, HF does not mean the heart has stopped; rather, it signifies a significant challenge in its function. Patients manage HF through medication, symptom monitoring, and lifestyle changes. Another significant health issue is stroke, ranking as the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S. It occurs when a blood vessel supplying oxygen and nutrients to the brain becomes blocked or ruptures, causing brain cell death. Early detection and swift treatment are crucial to improve survival rates, reduce disability, and speed up recovery.

Melissa Davis, MSN, Emergency Department Director, highlighted, “Implementing the Get With The Guidelines program for stroke allows our teams to apply daily evidence-based knowledge and guidelines proven to enhance patient recovery. Our ultimate goal is to improve community health locally and beyond.”

“Participation in Get With The Guidelines is associated with improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities,” said Steven Messe, M.D., volunteer chairperson of the American Heart Association Stroke System of Care Advisory Group, added, “We are incredibly pleased to recognize Adventist Health St. Helena for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke.”

Hospitals earning the Get With The Guidelines - Heart Failure quality achievement award demonstrate a commitment to treating patients according to up-to-date AHA guidelines. This initiative aims to increase healthy days at home and reduce hospital readmissions for heart failure patients. Similarly, the Get With The Guidelines - Stroke program promotes consistent adherence to guidelines, aiming to minimize the long-term effects of strokes and prevent fatalities during hospitalization.

The American Heart Association awards are the latest honors received by the organization, which also include the Women’s Choice Awards, U.S. News & World Report High Performing Hospital, The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Advanced Total Hip and Knee Replacement Certification, Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation (GEDA), and more. Learn more.