The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association recently honored Munson Medical Center with its 2018 Get With The Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus Award and the Target Stroke Honor Roll Elite award.
The awards reflect the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment based on nationally recognized, research-based guidelines tied to the latest scientific evidence.
“Munson Medical Center boasts a multidisciplinary team dedicated to identifying and treating stroke patients quickly and appropriately when they come through our doors,” said Kersti Bruining, M.D., medical director for the inpatient stroke unit at the hospital. “This recognition affirms the hard work and dedication of many to ensure the best outcomes for our patients.”
To achieve the Gold Plus Award, the hospital has to meet specific quality measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients within a designated period. Prior to discharge, patients also receive education on managing their health, have a follow-up visit scheduled, and other care transition interventions.
The Target Stroke Honor Roll-Elite Award recognizes the hospital’s time to therapy, which involves administering clot-dissolving medication, is within 60 minutes for 75 percent or more of its patients.
“We are pleased to recognize Munson Medical Center for their commitment to stroke care,” said Eric E. Smith, M.D., national chairman of the Get With The Guidelines Steering Committee and an associate professor of neurology at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. “Research has shown that hospitals adhering to clinical measures through the Get With The Guidelines quality improvement initiative can often see fewer admissions and lower mortality rates.”
The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association reports that stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death and leading cause of disability in the United States. On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 40 seconds and nearly 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.
More information on Munson Healthcare’s stroke program can be found at munsonhealthcare.org/stroke.