The American Heart Association (AHA) recognized eight Hackensack Meridian Health medical centers with Get With The Guidelines – Heart Failure Gold Plus Awards with Target: Heart Failure and Target: Type 2 Diabetes, Honor Roll.
These quality achievement awards acknowledge the cardiac teams’ commitment to improving outcomes for patients with heart failure, resulting in reduced hospital readmissions and more healthy days at home. The 2025 awards are based on patient care data from 2023 to 2024.
The hospitals that received awards include the following:
- Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel
- Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune
- JFK University Medical Center in Edison
- Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack
- Ocean University Medical Center in Brick
- Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen
- Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank
- Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin
The Get With The Guidelines – Heart Failure quality achievement award is earned by hospitals that demonstrate a commitment to treating patients in accordance with the most up-to-date guidelines from the AHA. Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the AHA to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research- and evidence-based guidelines.
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 provide education to help patients manage their HF at home.
“As one of New Jersey’s leading providers of high-quality cardiovascular care, Hackensack Meridian Health is always looking to enhance our services. One way we do so is by adopting into practice the latest proven treatment guidelines,” said Elizabeth A. Maiorana, MBA, MSN, R.N., vice president, Cardiovascular Services, Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH).
“This is a distinct honor as all of our participating medical centers were acknowledged with the AHA’s highest HF awards.”
The AHA’s recognition levels acknowledge the goal of treating patients with 85% or higher compliance to core standards of care outlined by the AHA over increasing lengths of time, culminating in two consecutive calendar years for Gold Plus.
Hospitals receiving the Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll are required to meet specific criteria that improves medication adherence, provide early follow-up care and coordination and enhance patient education.
Additionally, hospitals receiving Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll, demonstrate that patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to heart disease or stroke.
