Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center receives ACCF's GWTG Gold award

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center is one of only 167 hospitals nationwide to receive the American College of Cardiology Foundation's NCDR ACTION Registry-GWTG (Get with the Guidelines) Gold Performance Achievement Award for 2011. The quality-improvement program recognizes UCLA's commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients, and signifies that the hospital has reached an aggressive goal of treating these patients.

"The UCLA team consistently followed national treatment guidelines and met high performance standards necessary for recognition. Following these guidelines helped us offer patients the latest care in a timely manner, including initiation of critical medications and key diagnostic tests," said Dr. Gregg C. Fonarow, director of the Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center and ACTION Registry-GWTG Steering Committee Chair.

"Get with the Guidelines" addresses coronary artery disease, heart failure and stroke. Currently more than 1,600 hospitals participate in the program. Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center received the Gold distinction for coronary artery disease/heart attack care in 2010,2009 and 2008 and has also been recognized for outstanding care of heart failure and stroke.

"The American College of Cardiology Foundation and the American Heart Association commend Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center for its success in implementing standards of care and protocols. The full implementation of acute and secondary prevention guideline-recommended therapy is a critical step in saving the lives and improving outcomes of heart attack patients," said Dr. James Jollis, ACTION Registry-GWTG Co-Chair and professor of medicine and radiology at Duke University Hospital.

Source: Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center