The American Heart Association awards are for proven dedication to ensuring all heart failure patients have access to best practices and life-saving care
Four Ascension Florida hospitals have received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® quality achievement awards for their ongoing commitment to improving outcomes for people with heart failure, including shortening hospital stays and increasing healthy days at home.. Awards are as follows:
- Ascension St. Vincent’s Riverside - Gold Plus with Target: Heart Failure Optimal and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
- Ascension St. Vincent’s Clay County - Gold Target: Heart Failure Optimal and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
- Ascension St. Vincent’s Southside - Silver Plus with Target: Heart Failure Optimal and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
- Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola - Silver Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
About 6.7 million U.S. adults are living with heart failure (HF), a number that is expected to rise to more than 8.7 million by 2030, according to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Report. In Florida, about half a million people with heart failure are hospitalized annually.
Despite the name, HF doesn’t mean that the heart has stopped working — it means the heart is struggling to pump enough blood and oxygen throughout the body. While there is no cure, many people with heart failure can live a quality life by working closely with their health care team on a treatment plan that may include medication, symptom monitoring and lifestyle changes.
The Get With The Guidelines - Heart Failure quality achievement award recognizes hospitals that consistently demonstrate a commitment to treating patients according to the most current, evidence-based 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, supporting care teams in delivering guideline-directed care. The program is designed to shorten hospital stays and increasing healthy days at home.
“Ascension Florida hospitals are committed to delivering high-quality care by following the latest evidence-based treatment guidelines,” said Dr. Syed Jafri, Chief Medical Officer for Ascension Florida. “Get With The Guidelines helps our care teams put proven science into practice every day. Research shows this approach can support better recovery, with the ultimate goal of helping more people in Northwest Florida live longer, healthier lives.”
Each year, participating hospitals qualify for award recognition by demonstrating sustained performance in delivering quality care for patients with heart failure. In addition to following clinical treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants provide patients with education and tools to help them manage their condition at home.
“We are proud to recognize the leadership and dedicated care teams at Ascension Florida hospitals for their strong commitment to improving care for people living with heart failure,” said Sabra Lewsey, M.D., MPH, volunteer chair of the American Heart Association Heart Failure System of Care Advisory Group. “Hospitals that participate in Get With The Guidelines - Heart Failure, a 20-year flagship quality improvement program, often achieve better patient outcomes, including fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates — benefiting patients, families, communities and health care systems alike.”
St. Vincent’s Riverside and Southside are also recognized on the American Heart Association’s Target: Heart FailureSM Optimal. Hospitals receiving this award meet specific criteria that improve medication adherence, provide early follow-up care and coordination, and enhance patient education. Receiving the Optimal designation means a hospital has performed 50% or better for defect-free care. The goal is to further reduce hospital readmissions and help patients improve their quality of life.
All three hospitals received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll™ award. Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims to ensure 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.
