The Valley Hospital has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to improved outcomes and reduced disability.
Valley has also received the American Heart Association’s Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll Elite award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with a clot-busting medication.
Stroke is the fifth cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States, according to the American Stroke Association. 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.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every year, more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke. In the United States in 2022, 17.5% of deaths from cardiovascular disease was because of stroke. Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke.
Get With The Guidelines – Stroke is an in-hospital program designed to improve stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to response and treatment guidelines, as noted by the American Heart Association.
“At the Valley Hospital, we are dedicated to advancing patient care by following the most up-to-date treatment guidelines,” said Dr. Robert Brenner, president and CEO of Valley Health System. “Our Stroke Center is prepared at a second’s notice to treat complex strokes and offer effective stroke interventions.”
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.
