HAGERSTOWN, Md. —Meritus Medical Center has received the American Heart Association's Get with the Guidelines – Coronary Artery Disease and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll Silver recognition for its commitment to improving the quality of care for patients living with Type 2 diabetes.

The award recognizes hospitals that demonstrate consistent use of evidence-based care and quality improvement initiatives to reduce cardiovascular risk and improve health outcomes for patients with Type 2 diabetes.

"Receiving this recognition reflects the dedication of our physicians, nurses, pharmacists and care teams who work together to provide exceptional, patient-centered care," said Carrie Adams, Pharm.D., president of Meritus Medical Center. "We are proud to be recognized for delivering evidence-based treatment that helps patients better manage Type 2 diabetes and reduce their risk of serious complications," said Anand Budi, MD, Chief Medical Officer.

More than 38 million Americans live with diabetes, and approximately 90% to 95% have Type 2 diabetes. The condition significantly increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and other serious health complications. The American Heart Association created the Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll to encourage hospitals to implement guideline-directed care that improves outcomes for these patients.

Meritus Medical Center earned the Silver designation by meeting specific performance measures that promote comprehensive diabetes management during hospitalization, including evidence-based treatment, patient education and coordinated discharge planning.

The Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll is part of the American Heart Association's national quality improvement initiative, which recognizes hospitals that implement proven strategies to improve care for patients with cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

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Meritus Health is a community based, academic health system. The mission of Meritus Health is to improve the health of the region by providing the best healthcare, health services and medical education. As an anchor organization for the community, Meritus has more than 4,000 employees and serves more than 200,000 residents of the tristate region through Meritus Medical Center, Brook Lane Health Services, Meritus Medical Group, Meritus Home Health, Meritus Equipped for Life, and the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine. More information can be found at www.MeritusHealth.com or visit our Facebook page or LinkedIn page.