Cape Fear Valley Medical Center nationally recognized for using the Get With The Guidelines® program for cardiovascular patients

Cape Fear Valley Medical Center has received the 2025 Commitment to Quality Award from the American Heart Association (AHA), one of only 158 sites in the country to receive the award. The AHA award is in recognition of having reached achievement level in three or more Get With The Guidelines® modules and demonstrating commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for cardiovascular treatments, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospital.

Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest evidence- and research-based guidelines. As a participant in the Get With The Guidelines programs, Cape Fear Valley Medical Center qualified for the awards by demonstrating how their organization has committed to improving quality care.

“Cape Fear Valley Medical Center is committed to improving care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines and streamlining processes to ensure timely and proper care for heart attacks and strokes,” said Chief Quality Officer Michael Ruzek. “Get With The Guidelines programs make it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which helps us ensure more people in our region experience longer, healthier lives.”

This year, Cape Fear Valley Medical Center received these AHA achievement awards:

• Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll and Target: Diabetes Honor Roll
• Get With The Guidelines – Heart Failure Gold Plus with Target: Heart Failure Optimal and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• North Carolina Mission: Lifeline – Regional Award (for STEMI systems of care)

“These awards show Cape Fear Valley Medical Center's commitment to caring for those in their community who need cardiovascular care,” said Donald Lloyd-Jones, past volunteer president of the American Heart Association and current volunteer chair of the Association’s Quality Oversight Committee. “By following the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols, Cape Fear Valley Medical Center can help realize our shared vision of improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates — a win for health care systems, families and communities.”

About Get With The Guidelines

Get With The Guidelines^® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 14 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.