McLaren Northern Michigan earned the
American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke GOLD PLUS with
Honor Roll Elite Plus, recognizing the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines.
Each year program participants apply for the AHA award recognition by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for stroke patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, participants also provide education to patients to help them manage their health and rehabilitation once at home.
Gold Plus Quality Award is an advanced level of recognition, acknowledging hospitals for consistent compliance with quality measures. The Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus designation signifies that the hospital achieved time to thrombolytic therapy within 60 minutes in 75% or more of applicable acute ischemic stroke patients treated with IV tPA AND time to thrombolytic therapy within 30 minutes in 50 percent of acute ischemic stroke patients treated with IV tPA to improve quality of patient care and outcomes.
“At McLaren Northern Michigan, we’re committed to providing stroke care that aligns with the latest evidence-based treatment guidelines,” said Dr. Aniel Majjhoo, the Stroke Medical Director at McLaren Northern Michigan. “Studies show patients have the best possible chance of survival and can recover better when these guidelines are consistently followed. We’re proud to be recognized by the American Heart Association for achieving the quality measures for diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients.”
McLaren was also recognized with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll, which recognizes the hospital’s commitment to ensuring patients with type 2 diabetes patients receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized with a stroke.
“We are pleased to recognize McLaren Northern Michigan 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 re-admissions 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 U.S. 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. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and speeding recovery times.