For the third year in a row, CAMC has been recognized with the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award as well as the Association’s Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite citation. These awards recognize 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.
"CAMC is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines," said Melissa Poulos, MD, medical director of the CAMC Stroke Center. "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 West Virginia have longer, healthier lives."
To receive the Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award, hospitals must achieve 85 percent or higher adherence to all Get With The Guidelines – Stroke indicators for two or more consecutive years, and gain 75 percent or higher compliance with seven of ten Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Quality measures.
To achieve Elite Honor Roll status, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster alteplase.
“We are pleased to recognize CAMC for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Steven Messe, MD, chairperson of the 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 health care systems, families and communities.”
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.
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.
CAMC is designated as a Comprehensive Stroke Center for offering 24/7 intensive medical and surgical care, which includes vascular, neurointerventional and neurosurgery capabilities, as well as advanced neuroradiology services, nurses who have specialized training in stroke, and emergency medicine expertise. Comprehensive Centers also provide critical outreach, including training first responders to recognize the signs of stroke and educating the community about stroke.
