The American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association awarded Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto the Get With The Guidelines—Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award.
Get With The Guidelines—Stroke is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to the latest research- and evidence-based guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of stroke and even prevent death.
“It’s an honor to receive this recognition from the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association,” said Brian Hogan, CEO and administrator of Baptist-DeSoto. “Our team is committed to providing quality stroke and heart care for our community.”
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.
Baptist-Desoto also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Honor Roll Award. Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke.
“We are incredibly pleased to recognize Baptist-DeSoto for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said 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. “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.”
Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times.
Get With The Guidelines is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with 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 12 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.
