Mercy Hospital South Earns National Recognition for Heart Failure Care

The American Heart Association is honoring Mercy Hospital South with its Get With The Guidelines-Heart Failure Gold Plus quality achievement award.

An estimated 6.2 million American adults are living with heart failure according to the American Heart Association. Heart failure means the heart is having a hard time pumping blood and oxygen throughout the body. While patients cannot be cured of heart failure, they can improve the quality of their lives through appropriate treatment that may include medication, symptom monitoring and lifestyle changes.

Get With The Guidelines recognizes Mercy’s commitment to ensuring heart failure patients receive that appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines founded in the latest scientific evidence. The goal is speeding recovery and reducing hospital readmissions for heart failure patients.

“Caring for patients with heart failure takes the right approach from our entire team,” said Vijay Divakaran, Mercy Clinic nurse practitioner and heart failure program supervisor. “By following evidenced-based clinical guidelines, we’re able to improve patient outcomes and help our patients live life to the fullest extent possible.”

Mercy South, in coordination with the Mercy Clinic Heart Failure Program, earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure patients. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and aggressive risk-reduction therapies. Before discharge, patients also receive education on managing their heart failure and overall health, get a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as other care transition interventions.

Mercy South is also recognized on the association’s Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll. To earn this achievement, hospitals are required to meet specific criteria that improves medication adherence, provides early follow-up care and coordination and enhances patient education. The goal is to reduce hospital readmissions and help patients improve their quality of life in managing this chronic condition.