CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- The University of Virginia Health System has earned top national quality awards for its heart failure care, based on the American Heart Association's Get with the Guidelines program.

The health care team received the highest ranked award, the Gold Plus Level, for the Get with the Guidelines-Heart Failure with Target: Heart Failure and Target: Type 2 Diabetes.

The team has received this award seven years in a row.  

“Knowing that cutting-edge research and advanced level care is really the pinnacle of what we do at UVA health and I think these awards are really just validation. It’s great to walk in and feel good about the work you do every day but when you have an external group really evaluate and say that you’re doing excellent work that feels good,” said Craig Thomas, an acute care nurse practitioner.

The team has accomplished this success by prescribing the appropriate medications, flu and pneumonia vaccinations, scheduling follow-ups within seven days, and preventing clots inside the blood vessels to reduce strokes.

Thomas added this is not the end of their discoveries.

They will continue to think outside of the box to save more lives.