American Heart Association Award recognizes Porter Regional Hospital’s commitment to quality stroke care
Porter Regional Hospital has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Silver Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.
Porter Regional Hospital earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of 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, get a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as other care transition interventions
Sean Dardeau, Chief Executive Officer of Porter Health Care System and the Northwest Indiana market remarked, “Our entire team is focused on improving the quality of care for our stroke patients. The American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines-Stroke initiative is one set of tools that help us ensure we are providing evidence-based clinical guidelines. I’m proud of the work of our physicians and other clinicians who deliver outstanding care to stroke patients and patients suspected to have a stroke.”
In addition, Porter Regional has also met specific scientific guidelines as a Primary Stroke Center, featuring a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department.
“We are pleased to recognize Porter Regional Hospital for their commitment to stroke care,” said Lee H. Schwamm, M.D., national chairperson of the Quality Oversight Committee and Executive Vice Chair of Neurology, Director of Acute Stroke Services, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. “Research has shown that hospitals adhering to clinical measures through the Get With The Guidelines quality improvement initiative can often see fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates.”
According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 40 seconds and nearly 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.
About Porter Health Care System
Porter Health Care System includes Porter Regional Hospital, a referral center for Northwest Indiana. It also includes more than 20 outpatient sites located throughout the region. With more than 450 physicians representing 50 medical specialties, Porter Health Care System is committed to medical excellence and personalized patient-centered care. Porter Regional Hospital is owned in part by physicians. To learn more about the organization visit porterhealth.com.
About Get With The Guidelines®
Get With The Guidelines® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with tools and resources to increase adherence to the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 6 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.
