Medical City Decatur Recognized Nationally for High-Quality Stroke Care
The American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus Award
Medical City Decatur has earned the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award. The honor recognizes the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines -– ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.
“Medical City Decatur is committed to high-quality patient care that includes following best practices and leading-edge treatment guidelines,” says Jason Wren, Medical City Decatur CEO. “This award is another reason our community turns to us as the destination of choice for healthcare excellence.”
Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times.
Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research and evidence-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines - Stroke is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death.
Each year, program participants qualify for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for stroke patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also educate patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home.
“We are incredibly pleased to recognize Medical City Decatur for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” says Steven Messe, M.D., volunteer chairperson of the American Heart Association Stroke System of Care Advisory Group. “Participation in Get With The Guidelines is associated with improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for healthcare systems, families and communities.”
Medical City Decatur has also been honored with the American Heart Association’s StrokeSM Elite Honor Roll Award. To receive this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria to reduce the time between a patient's arrival and treatment with thrombolytic therapy. Additionally, the hospital has been awarded the American Heart Association’s Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll Award. This award aims to ensure that patients with Type 2 diabetes, who may be at a higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke.
Learn more about comprehensive neurological care at Medical City Decatur here.