The American Heart Association / American Stroke Association
bestowed its Get With The Guidelines Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite
Plus and Gold Plus Quality Achievement Awards upon the nonprofit
hospital, which treats an estimated 1,200 stroke cases annually.
“We are extremely proud of the dedication and expertise of
Memorial’s stroke team,” Tiffany Whitaker, director of neurosciences
at Memorial Health System, said. “Achieving this elite designation
reflects their commitment to provide the highest level of stroke
care to our patients and their families.”
The recognition from the American Stroke Association follows
Memorial Medical Center’s recertification last year as a
comprehensive stroke center, the highest designation for stroke care
awarded by the Joint Commission, an independent nonprofit
organization that accredits and certifies thousands of health care
organizations and program in the U.S.
Only 10 hospitals in Illinois have been designated as a
comprehensive stroke center by the Joint Commission, and Memorial
Medical Center is the only one in Sangamon County, Whitaker said.
Comprehensive stroke centers are recognized for their ability to
provide expert around-the-clock care for the most complex stroke
patients.
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Memorial earned the Get With The Guidelines honor by meeting specific quality
achievement measures to diagnose and treat stroke patients at a set level for a
designated period. These measures include evaluating 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 and get a follow-up visit scheduled, Whitaker said.
Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of adult
disability in the United States, according to the American Stroke Association.
Someone suffers from a stroke every 40 seconds on average, and nearly 795,000
people suffer from a new or recurring stroke each year.
“When treating stroke, every second counts,” Whitaker said. “Memorial is
committed to providing the best level of care for stroke, from the emergency
department to rehabilitation, that’s second to none.”
[Michael Leathers] |