NGMC is Nationally Recognized for its Commitment to Providing High-Quality Cardiovascular Care

Published: Thursday, July 7, 2022

The American Heart Association presents the Get With The Guidelines award for proven dedication to best practices and life-saving care

Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) has received five American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines achievement awards for demonstrating commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease and stroke ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospital. 

Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke or heart attack, and heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 5 causes of death in the United States, respectively.  Studies show patients can recover better when providers consistently follow treatment guidelines. 

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 Get With The Guidelines programs, NGMC qualified for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to improving quality care. 

“Northeast Georgia 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,” Ugochukwu Egolum, MD, Medical Director of the Heart Failure Center at Georgia Heart Institute. “The Get With The Guidelines program makes 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 community experience longer, healthier lives.”

This year, NGMC received these achievement awards:

  • Get With The Guidelines – Heart Failure Bronze
    • NGMC Braselton
    • NGMC Gainesville
  • Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
    • NGMC Barrow
    • NGMC Braselton
  • Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus, Advanced Therapy and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
    • NGMC Gainesville

“We are pleased to recognize Northeast Georgia Medical Center for its commitment to caring for those in their community who need cardiovascular care,” said John Warner, M.D., FAHA, past president of the American Heart Association and executive vice president for health system affairs at UT Southwestern Medical Center, in Dallas.  “Hospitals that follow the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols often see improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities.”


About Northeast Georgia Medical Center

Since 1951, Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) has been on a mission of improving the health of our community in all we do. With hospitals located in Gainesville, Braselton, Winder and Dahlonega, the four NGMC campuses have a total of more than 750 beds and more than 1,200 medical staff members representing more than 60 specialties. NGMC is part of Northeast Georgia Health System, a non-profit that cares for more than one million people across more than 19 counties. Learn more at www.nghs.com.

About Georgia Heart Institute

Georgia Heart Institute is the most forward-thinking heart and vascular program in the state and includes one of the largest cardiology practices in the region, including more than 80 practitioners seeing patients at more than a dozen locations. With a multi-disciplinary team of experts treating nearly every type of heart and vascular disease and participating in leading national research, we’re providing advanced care that ensures lasting heart health for generations. Request an appointment and learn more at www.georgiaheartinstitute.org.

The experts of Georgia Heart Institute also form the core of the cardiac care team at Northeast Georgia Medical Center’s four hospitals in Gainesville, Braselton, Winder and Dahlonega. It’s all part of Northeast Georgia Health System, a non-profit which serves more than 1 million people across the region. Learn more at www.nghs.com.

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 12 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit www.heart.org.