Massachusetts neurologist honored with national volunteer award

For his of dedication to improving the outcomes of stroke patients, Dr. Lee Schwamm will be honored with a Gold Heart award during the American Heart Association’s annual National Volunteer Awards virtual ceremony.

The vice president of virtual care at Massachusetts General Brigham Hospital, Schwamm has been a volunteer chair of several national American Heart Association committees and has been engaged in Boston development work as a past chair of the Boston Heart and Stroke Ball.

Watch the National Volunteer Awards on Tuesday, June 28, at 7 p.m. on YouTube.

He is being honored alongside cardiologists Gregg Fonarow  and Clyde Yancy. Fonarow is interim chief of the Division of Cardiology in the Department of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Yancy is vice dean of diversity and inclusion and chief of cardiology at the Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

The three doctors have touched millions of lives with their collaborative efforts over the last 20 years as the brain trust behind developing and supporting Get With The Guidelines. The American Heart Association program provides evidence-based treatment protocols for hospitals to improve quality of care and serves as a platform to accelerate the collection and impact of patient data.

Designed to close the treatment gap in cardiovascular disease, stroke and resuscitation, the hospital-based quality improvement program has sped up the adoption of science practice guidelines from 17 years to within weeks from the practice guidelines being put into effect. Get With The Guidelines includes modules in coronary artery disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, stroke and resuscitation.

To read more about this year’s awards click here.