Improved treatment of hospitalized coronary artery disease patients with the get with the guidelines program.

Adherence to evidence-based interventions for hospitalized cardiovascular disease patients is not optimal. This study assesses the impact of a national quality improvement program on adherence to guidelines in these patients. Data from 92 hospitals from across the United States participating in the Get With The Guidelines program for at least 1 year for 11 acute and secondary prevention measures from a preintervention baseline period and the subsequent 4 quarters of a quality improvement intervention were analyzed.

The American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines program.

Get With The Guidelines (GWTG) is a hospital-based quality improvement initiative created by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Stroke Association (ASA) to improve the care of patients with cardiac diseases and stroke. It supports the AHA mission to reduce death and disability due to cardiovascular diseases and stroke. It is evidence-based and founded on the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guidelines for secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases and is designed to help health care providers consistently treat patients in accordance with these accepted guidelines.