Franciscan Health Lafayette East Nationally Recognized For Commitment To Quality Heart Failure Care

LAFAYETTE, Indiana - Franciscan Health Lafayette East has received the American Heart Association's Gold Plus Get With The Guidelines® - Heart Failure quality achievement award for its commitment to improving outcomes for patients with heart failure, meaning reduced readmissions and more healthy days at home.

About 6.2 million U.S. adults are living with heart failure (HF). Despite the name, HF doesn't mean that the heart has stopped working – it means the heart is having a hard time pumping blood and oxygen throughout the body. While there's no cure for HF, patients can live a quality life by working with their health care team to create and stick with a plan that may include medication, symptom monitoring and lifestyle changes.

The Get With The Guidelines - Heart Failure quality achievement award is earned by hospitals that demonstrate a commitment to treating patients according to the most up-to-date guidelines as outlined by the American Heart Association. Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research and evidence-based guidelines. The program aims to increasing healthy days at home and reduce hospital readmissions for heart failure patients. 

"Franciscan Health Lafayette East is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines," said Karen Bullard, Director of Nursing Operations for Intensive, Cardiovascular, and Women and Children's Services. "Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help patients recover better. The end goal is to ensure more people in Lafayette, and surrounding communities, can experience longer, healthier lives."

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

"We are pleased to recognize the leaders and teams at Franciscan Health Lafayette East for a strong commitment to caring for people with heart failure," said Clyde W. Yancy, M.D., MSc, MACC, FAHA, MACP, FHFSA, national chairperson of the American Heart Association Heart Failure systems of care advisory group and chief, division of cardiology at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine. "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."

Franciscan Health Lafayette East is also recognized on the American Heart Association's Target: Heart FailureSM Honor Roll. Hospitals on the Honor Roll meet specific criteria that improves medication adherence, provides early follow-up care and coordination, and enhances patient education. The goal is to further reduce hospital readmissions and help patients improve their quality of life in managing this chronic condition.

About Franciscan Health

The Franciscan Alliance healthcare ministry began in Lafayette, Indiana, in 1875. Today, Franciscan Alliance is one of the largest Catholic healthcare systems in the Midwest with 12 hospital campuses, more than 19,000 employees and a number of nationally recognized Centers of Health Care Excellence. Hospitals include: Franciscan Health Carmel; Franciscan Health Crawfordsville; Franciscan Health Crown Point; Franciscan Health Dyer; Franciscan Health Hammond; Franciscan Health Indianapolis; Franciscan Health Lafayette; Franciscan Health Michigan City; Franciscan Health Mooresville; Franciscan Health Munster; Franciscan Health Olympia Fields (Illinois); and Franciscan Health Rensselaer.

About Get With The Guidelines