Several RWJBarnabas Health facilities recently received the American Heart Association’s Get with the Guidelines – Stroke 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.
Jersey City Medical Center, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital were awarded the Get with the Guidelines – Stroke Gold Award; Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center was awarded the Get with the Guidelines – Stroke Silver Plus Award; and Clara Maass Medical Center was awarded the Get with the Guidelines – Stroke Silver Award.
“These recognitions from the American Heart Association are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our stroke care teams across RWJBarnabas Health,” Dr. Suhayl Dhib-Jalbut, chair of neurology at Rutgers Medical School and co-leader of the RWJBarnabas Health neuroscience services, said. “The framework developed to achieve the Get with the Guidelines – Stroke awards allows us to track and measure quality, exceed evidenced-based clinical guidelines and provide superior outcomes to stroke patients across New Jersey.”
Stroke is the fifth-leading 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.
“We are incredibly pleased to recognize RWJBarnabas Health for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” Dr. Steven Messe, volunteer chairperson of the American Heart Association Stroke System of Care Advisory Group and professor of neurology and director of fellowships of neurology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, said. “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.”
