McLeod Recognized for Providing High-Quality Stroke Care

McLeod Regional Medical Center has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke: Gold Plus quality achievement award for their 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.

Stroke is the number five cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States. 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.

“McLeod is committed to improving patient care,” Dr. Ravish Kothari, Medical Director, McLeod Stroke and Neurology Services. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help patients recover better. The end goal is to ensure more people in our region can experience longer, healthier lives.” 

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. 

“These awards show the commitment McLeod has in caring for those in their community who need stroke care,” said Donald Lloyd-Jones, chair of the American Heart Association Quality Oversight Committee and chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern Medicine. “By following the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols, McLeod can help realize our shared vision of improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities.”

McLeod Regional Medical Center also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Honor Roll award. Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke.

McLeod Regional Medical Center also has met specific scientific guidelines as a Primary Stroke Center that features a comprehensive system for the rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department. McLeod became the first hospital in the region to become a certified Primary Stroke Center in 2014.
Recently McLeod Regional Medical Center received re-certification from DNV as a Primary Stroke Center, affirming the hospital’s readiness to handle a full range of stroke-related medical problems. 

“Certification is an acknowledgement to our community that we have the resources and commitment to provide the best possible stroke care,” says Dr. Kothari. “It’s a combination of the right equipment, personnel and training to quickly assess and treat strokes. Achieving and maintaining certification validates all the effort we have put into this program to ensure the health and safety of our patients.”

The DNV Primary Stroke Center Certification is based on standards set forth by the Brain Attack Coalition and the American Stroke Association. It affirms that the medical center addresses the full spectrum of stroke care – diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and education – and establishes clear metrics to evaluate outcomes. 
According to the American Stroke Association, stroke is a leading cause of death, killing nearly 130,000 people each year, and is a leading cause of serious, long-term adult disability. Because stroke or “brain attack” effects blood flow to the brain, rapid and effective treatment can save lives and provide the best chance of limiting the extent of long-term damage.