VALDOSTA-South Georgia Medical Center has received the Get With The Guidelines Resuscitation Gold Award for implementing quality improvement measures to better the treatment of adult patients who suffers cardiac arrests. SGMC also received the Resuscitation Silver Award for their resuscitation of pediatric patients.

Hospitals must follow quality standards set forth by the American Heart & Stroke Associaton for two or more consecutive years in order to qualify for these awards. For the past five years, SGMC has received the gold award. This is the first time they have received the Silver Award.

According to the American Heart Association, over 200,00 adults and children experience cardiac arrests within hospitals each year. The Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation program was developed to closely follow the latest research-based guidelines for treatment in order to save the lives of those who experience in-hospital cardiac arrests. 

These guidelines include following protocol for medical emergency team response, patient safety, effective and timely resuscitation (CPR) and post-resuscitation care.

The Get With The Guidelines program builds on the data from the American Heart Association’s National Registry of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, launched in 1999. In their 20 year history, they have collected data on in-hospital cardiac arrests from over 500 hospitals.

The data from the registry and from the program give participating hospitals feedback on patient outcome and resuscitation practice, as well as improve research-based guidelines for resuscitation. 

“The team of clinical professionals at SGMC is committed to helping our patients have the best possible outcomes.  The high standards set by the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines Resuscitation program measurably save lives by boosting prevention, treatment and recovery,” said Chief Medical Officer Brian Dawson, MD.