St. Mary’s Hospital named in top 29 nationwide for heart, stroke care

Consistently following the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association “Get With the Guidelines” program has given Carondelet St. Mary’s Hospital the distinction of being one of only 29 hospitals nationwide to receive triple recognition for its performance in treating coronary artery disease, heart failure and stroke patients.

St. Mary’s Hospital received the Gold Achievement Award for its treatment of patients with coronary heart disease), the Gold Achievement Award for heart failure and the Bronze Achievement Award for the treatment of stroke and was featured in the July 21 edition of “America’s Best Hospitals” issue of U.S. News & World Report.

“Get With the Guidelines” is a hospital-based, quality-improvement program designed to ensure that hospitals care for cardiac and stroke patients following the most up-to-date guidelines and recommendations.

As coronary artery disease continues to be the No. 1 killer in the U.S. and stroke No. 3, the “Get With the Guidelines” program helps ensure that patients treated and discharged receive quality care that will reduce the risk of secondary events.

It takes advantage of the “teachable moment” — the time soon after a heart attack or stroke when a patient is most likely to listen to their physician and health-care professionals regarding treatment recommendations.

Asked what the team at St. Mary’s did to win three awards and be one of 29 hospitals nationwide to do so, cardiologist Dr. John Boulet said, “St. Mary’s decided to put the guidelines into real practice by including the patient and their family. The GWTG program does have a component that includes teaching the patient, but St. Mary’s took that component and made it the central focus of the program.”

Boulet said in addition to primarily focusing on convincing doctors and nurses by including the patient it “elicits compliance and meaningful, fruitful and intelligent conversation with their physician.”

What has put St. Mary’s at the top of hospitals nationwide is the hospital’s compliance of 85 percent or greater of the guidelines in all three arms of the program, he said.

“We teach patients what they can personally do to reduce their risk of a future heart attack or stroke and how to control heart failure… generally there are four different categories of medications of which some or all are used to treat patients ... a patient leaving St. Mary’s is always taught what these medications are and what their use can mean to the future quality of their lives,” Boulet explained.

Working closely with Boulet in cardiovascular education is RN Steven Arthur, who agrees that aside from medications, patients are taught how certain behaviors can either promote or delay the progression of their disease.

Such behaviors are called “risk factors” and include smoking, physical activity, diabetes, cholesterol, stress and depression, hypertension, alcohol use and obesity.

A specific message Boulet and Arthus would like to get out to the senior community in Green Valley is this: “If you fall victim to a heart attack, remember time is muscle. If you think you are having a stroke, time is brain. The longer the heart attack/stroke is allowed to proceed, the more damage will be done. It’s imperative that you react quickly and get to the nearest hospital as soon as possible to receive treatment.

“The guideline for care is to stop a patient’s heart attack within 90 minutes of arrival to a hospital. In July 2008, 100 percent of patients entering with a heart attack received the recommended life-saving treatment in under 90 minutes with an overall average time of 58 minutes.”

Boulet and Arthus want Green Valley residents to know that St. Mary’s is one of the largest and most modern emergency centers in Tucson with the fastest response for heart attack patients in the country and that a newly formed stroke team that evaluates and treats strokes is in place.

Ellen Sussman is a freelance writer in Green Valley. Contact her at ellen2414@cox.net.