BARABOO, July 20, 2009 – St. Clare Hospital & Health Services has been recognized at the Gold Level for its heart failure program and achievement in using evidence-based guidelines to provide the best possible care to patients through The American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines^SM program. The goal of the program is to improve the quality of life and help reduce deaths and disability among patients with heart disease and stroke. Currently more than 1,450 hospitals participate in the program.

St. Clare and 569 other hospitals are featured in a July 28 advertisement in the “America’s Best Hospitals” issue of US News & World Report to commemorate their receipt of Get With The Guidelines Gold or Silver Performance Achievement Award. The awards are given for achievement in coronary artery disease, stroke and/or heart failure treatment.

Hospitals are recognized in each category in which they achieve at least 85 percent compliance to Get With The Guidelines measures. Those hospitals, such as St. Clare, marking 85 percent compliance for 24 consecutive months are given the Gold Performance Achievement Award, with the Silver Performance Achievement award going to those with 85 percent compliance for 12 consecutive months.

The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s advertisement recognizes St. Clare’s commitment and success in performance achievement. “We are proud that the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association have chosen the ‘America’s Best Hospitals’ issue of US News & World Report to recognize St. Clare for our heart failure achievements in their Get With The Guidelines program,” said Lori Rudolph, St. Clare Chronic Disease Coordinator. “Get With The Guidelines