Newton-Wellesley Receives Awards From American Heart Association

NEWTON, MA – Newton-Wellesley Hospital has received three 2023 “Get With The Guidelines” awards from the American Heart Association for excellence in treating heart failure, stroke, and atrial fibrillation, the hospital said in a news release.

Two of the honors were given with “Gold Plus” distinction – the highest level of the award given by the organization.

"Our hospital is committed to providing safe, high-quality care to our community, and to ensuring our cardiology patients receive the treatment they need to continue living happy, fulfilling lives,” Dr. George Philippides, Chief of Cardiology at Newton-Wellesley, said in a statement. “This recognition further underscores our hospital teams’ expertise, hard work, and dedication to supporting our patients through every step of their healthcare journeys.”

About 6 million United States adults are living with heart failure, a number that is expected to increase to more than 8 million by 2030, according to Newton-Wellesley.

Despite the name, heart failure doesn’t mean that the heart has stopped working, but rather that it is having a hard time pumping blood and oxygen throughout the body. While there’s no cure, patients can live a quality life by working with their health care team to create a treatment plan that may include medication, symptom monitoring, and lifestyle changes.

Stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death, and a leading cause of disability in the United States. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability, and accelerating recovery times.

Atrial fibrillation is a quivering or irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia. Atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib or AF, can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. Over 12 million people are projected to have AFib by 2030.

“We are pleased to recognize the leaders and teams at Newton-Wellesley for a strong commitment to care,” said Dr. Clyde W. Yancy, national chairperson of the American Heart Association’s heart failure systems of care advisory group.

“Hospitals that participate in Get With The Guidelines quality improvement programs often see better patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities,” he added.

Each year, program participants qualify for the awards recognitions by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, “Get With The Guidelines” participants also provide education to patients to help them manage their conditions at home.