Nationally Recognized for Commitment to High-Quality Heart Care

The American Heart Association presents Get With The Guidelines® - Heart Failure Gold Plus award and Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI Gold award for proven dedication to ensuring all heart failure patients have access to best practices and life-saving care

Carteret Health Care has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Heart Failure Gold Plus quality achievement award and Get With The Guidelines® – Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI Gold award for its commitment to improving outcomes for patients with heart failure, meaning reduced readmissions and more healthy days at home.

About 6 million U.S. adults are living with heart failure (HF), a number that is expected to increase to more than 8 million by 2030. 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.

Dr. Clyde Brooks, Chief Medical Officer, expressed, "Receiving these prestigious recognitions from the American Heart Association is a testament to our unwavering commitment to exceptional patient care at Carteret Health Care. Our team is devoted to implementing the latest treatment guidelines and continuously expanding our heart care services. This honor underscores our dedication to putting patients' well-being at the forefront of everything we do."

The Get With The Guidelines - Heart Failure and Coronary Artery Disease quality achievement awards are 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.

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.

In 2024, Carteret Health Care was recognized by the American Heart Association with a total of five Get With the Guidelines quality awards:
• Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus with Target Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• Get With The Guidelines® - AFib Gold
• Get With The Guidelines® - Resuscitation Gold – Adult
• Get With The Guidelines® - Heart Failure Gold Plus with Target HF Honor Roll and Target Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• Get With The Guidelines® – Coronary Artery Disease NSTEM Gold with Target Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll

“We are pleased to recognize the leaders and teams at Carteret Health Care for a strong commitment to caring for people with heart failure,” said Sabra Lewsey, M.D., MPH, chair of the American Heart Association Heart Failure System of Care Advisory Group and assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “Hospitals that participate in Get With The Guidelines – Heart Failure and Coronary Artery Disease often see better patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for families, communities and health care systems.”

Dr. Brooks concluded, "Our ultimate aim is to enable more residents of Carteret County to enjoy longer, healthier lives. This recognition fuels our resolve to continue providing the highest quality of care for our community."