UTMC honored for heart treatment efforts

October 30, 2015 | News, UTMC
By Brandi Barhite



The University of Toledo Medical Center is being recognized for its superior diagnosis and treatment of patients with heart failure.

UTMC has received the Get With The Guidelines — Heart Failure Silver Plus Quality Achievement Award.

Moukarbel

Moukarbel

This award, through the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, honors hospitals that help heart patients recover quicker and reduce the likelihood of hospital readmission. In 2014, UTMC received the bronze award.

“This reaffirms our commitment to our patients who are experiencing one of the worst health scares of their lives,” said Dr. George Moukarbel, director of the Heart Failure and Left Ventricular Assist Device Program at UTMC. “We are proud of our efforts to provide the best possible outcome for our patients who are in the throes of heart failure. This is a direct result of the hard work of all the members of the heart failure team and everyone working toward excellence in the care of our patients.”

Launched in 2005, numerous published studies have demonstrated the Get With the Guidelines program’s success in achieving patient outcome improvements, including reductions in readmissions.

UTMC earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures that include evaluation of the patient, proper use of medications, and aggressive risk-reduction therapies.

Before patients are discharged, UTMC educates them on managing their overall health and arranges a follow-up visit.

“Our next goal is to achieve gold status,” Moukarbel said. “Our work is not done, but this silver status shows that we are continually trying to better ourselves so we can better the outcomes for our patients. Everything we do at UTMC is centered on the patient.”

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