Crozer-Chester Medical Center Nationally Recognized for Stroke Care
Crozer-Chester Medical Center received the American Heart Association’s (AHA) 2022 GoldPlus Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive high quality treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.
Crozer-Chester Medical Center also received the AHA’s Target: Stroke℠ 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 the clot-buster alteplase.
In addition, the hospital received the American Heart Association’s Target: Stroke℠ Honor Roll Advanced Therapy award by meeting specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment to remove the clot causing the stroke. It also met specific scientific guidelines as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, featuring a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department.
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.
Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart/Stroke Associations 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.
“Crozer-Chester Medical Center is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said Crozer-Chester Medical Center Chief Operating Officer Jenny Santiago. “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 Delaware County 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.
“We are incredibly pleased to recognize Crozer-Chester Medical Center for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Dr. Steven Messe, 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.”