International Heart Failure Certification

International Heart Failure Center Certification

Newly available in international markets, the American Heart Association’s Heart Failure Center Certification recognizes hospitals dedicated to improving heart failure care in their communities. By emphasizing guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) and smooth transitions from hospital-to-outpatient care, we aim to optimize heart failure treatment and reduce readmissions.

Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy (GDMT)

Our Certified sites prioritize the application of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) during hospitalization—ensuring that patients receive the most effective, evidence-based treatments for heart failure. The American Heart Association develops these guidelines based on the latest research and clinical evidence, including the 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure. This ensures that patients receive optimal care, regardless of where they live.

Achieving Certification with
Get With The Guidelines^®-Heart Failure

Get With The Guidelines^®-Heart Failure (GWTG-HF) addresses a challenge healthcare professionals face by providing a consistent process that promotes adherence to the latest treatment guidelines and improves patient care with measurable outcomes. GWTG-HF also facilitates earning International Heart Failure Center Certification. This is an in-hospital program for improving care by promoting consistent adherence to the latest scientific treatment guidelines.

An integral part of using GWTG-HF is access to the Heart Failure Registry. This registry serves as an online tool for hospitals to track and analyze patient data, providing valuable insights into the effectiveness of treatments and identifying areas for improvement. By leveraging this data, hospitals can continuously refine their care processes, ensuring that patients receive the most effective, evidence-based treatments while tracking and reporting on hospital performance.

Community Access

The Association’s Certification allows more hospitals to highlight their commitment to providing high-quality heart failure care. Their dedication to earning this distinction increases access to essential, life-saving treatments and improves patient outcomes for their communities.

Our Mission in Action

Aligned with the American Heart Association’s vision of hope for everyone, everywhere, our Certification aims to reduce death and disability from cardiovascular diseases by enabling more facilities to deliver comprehensive, evidence-based cardiac care.

Outpatient Care

Heart Failure Certified hospitals adhere to stringent protocols and criteria, ensuring a consistent level of quality care and preparedness across all facilities. This standardization guarantees that all patients, regardless of circumstances, receive the best possible treatment.

Additionally, these hospitals emphasize the importance of outpatient care, providing continuous support and management for heart failure patients after discharge. This approach helps to monitor symptoms, adjust treatments as needed, and reduce the risk of readmissions, ultimately improving patients’ quality of life.

Collaboration and Network Building

The Association’s Certification fosters a network of hospitals working together to provide a continuum of heart failure care. The earned distinction ensures that patients can be seamlessly transitioned from inpatient to outpatient care, optimizing long-term management and reducing readmissions.

To learn more about Heart Failure Certification and to see if it is available in your region, please fill out the form below. An Association representative will reach out to you shortly.