For the second year in a row, Princeton Medical Center (PMC) earned the Get With The Guidelines–Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award, which is granted by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) to hospitals that demonstrate a commitment to high-quality stroke care based on the latest scientific evidence.
To receive the Gold Plus Award, PMC met or exceeded specific quality achievement measures for diagnosing and treating stroke patients for two consecutive years.
The 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.
Before discharge, patients should receive education on managing their health and schedule a follow-up visit as well as other care interventions — for instance, an assessment for rehabilitation services.
“The Get With The Guidelines–Stroke program supports excellent care every step of the way, particularly in expediting diagnosis and treatment,” Paul K. Kaiser, MD, medical director of PMC’s Stroke Program, said in a prepared statement. “This is crucial when someone is having a stroke and every minute matters.”
Philip Tran, RN, stroke coordinator at PMC, commended the physicians, nurses, pharmacists, therapists, and senior managers on the hospital’s Stroke Committee for their leadership in pursuing excellence in stroke care, according to the statement.
PMC also holds advanced certification from The Joint Commission as a Primary Stroke Center.
According to the AHA/ASA, 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.
The AHA/ASA attempts to raise public awareness of stroke warning signs and the need for timely treatment by emphasizing the acronym FAST: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty and Time to call 911.
Fast, effective diagnosis and treatment of a stroke takes on added importance in 2020, when individuals may choose to delay seeking emergency care due to concerns about the potential to be exposed to COVID-19, according to the statement.
Learn more at www.princetonhcs.org/healthandsafety.