Baptist Health Hardin received another award for stroke care.
The American Heart Association GoldPlus Stroke Good Achievement Award has been given to the hospital for its commitment to ensuring that stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment in accordance with nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately saving more lives and reducing disability, according to a press release from the healthcare organization.
Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability in the United States. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is blocked by either a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain can’t get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die.
The statement said early detection and treatment of stroke are key to improving survival, reducing disability and speeding up recovery times.
Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association to work in hospitals across the country, helping to ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research and evidence-based guidelines, the statement said. Get With Guidelines – Stroke is a program within the hospital to improve stroke care by promoting continued adherence to these guidelines, which can reduce the long-term effects of stroke and even prevent death.
“Baptist Health Hardin is committed to excellence in patient care,” said hospital president Robert Ramey. “Get With The Guidelines helps our teams apply knowledge and proven guidelines every day, which studies show can help improve patient outcomes. Our ultimate goal is to help more people in central Kentucky live longer, healthier lives.”
Each year, program participants qualify for the award by demonstrating their organization’s commitment to providing quality stroke care. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also educate patients to help them manage their health and recover at home.
“We are incredibly pleased to recognize Baptist Health Hardin for its commitment to stroke care,” said Stephen Macy, MD, volunteer chair of the American Heart Association’s Stroke System Advisory Group for Care and professor of neurology and director of neurology fellowships at University of Pennsylvania Hospital. “Participation in Get With The Guidelines is associated with better patient outcomes, fewer readmissions, and lower death rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities.”
Baptist Health Hardin also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with alteplase.
