Southern Regional receives Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award
American Heart Association Award recognizes Southern Regional’s commitment to quality stroke care
Southern Regional Medical Center has received the American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.
“Southern Regional has consistently received high recognition for our dedication to improving the quality of care for our stroke patients by implementing the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines-Stroke initiative,” said Vikram Mandadi, MD, Cardiologist and Chief Medical Officer, Southern Regional Medical Center. “As an accredited Primary Stroke Center, the hospital implements evidence-based clinical guidelines that improve patient outcomes.”
Southern Regional earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke treatments aligned with the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. Before discharge, patients should also receive education on managing their health, get a follow-up visit scheduled, and other care transition interventions as appropriate.
In addition to the Gold Plus award, Southern Regional Medical Center received:
- Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite –meeting quality measures developed to reduce the time between the patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster tissue plasminogen activator (tPA).
- Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll –meeting quality measures developed with more than 90% of compliance for 12 consecutive months for the “Overall Diabetes Cardiovascular Initiative Composite Score.”
“Southern Regional is honored to be recognized for our dedication to providing optimal care for stroke patients,” said Charlotte W. Dupré, President and CEO of Southern Regional Medical Center. “The Gold Plus level award is a testament to the commitment of our Emergency Department and Stroke Team and all they have accomplished to consistently provide the highest quality care.”
As a Primary Stroke Center, Southern Regional has also met the specific scientific guidelines based on a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department.
“We are pleased to recognize Southern Regional Medical Center for their commitment to stroke care,” said Lee H. Schwamm, M.D., national chairperson of the Quality Oversight Committee and Executive Vice Chair of Neurology, Director of Acute Stroke Services, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. “Research has shown that hospitals adhering to clinical measures through the Get With The Guidelines quality improvement initiative can often see fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates.”
According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of adult 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.