HCA Florida Palms West Hospital has received the American Heart Association’s SilverPlus equality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring that stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.
Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States. 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 Association and the American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research-based 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.
“HCA Florida Palms West Hospital is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said Dr. Alex Gumiroff, the hospital’s chief medical officer. “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 that more people in the western communities of Palm Beach 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.
“We are incredibly pleased to recognize HCA Florida Palms West Hospital for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Dr. Steven Messe, volunteer chair of the American Heart Association Stroke System of Care Advisory Group and professor of neurology and director of fellowships in 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 healthcare systems, families and communities.”
Palms West Hospital also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award, which aims to ensure that 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.
“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, the program has touched the lives of more than 14 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit www.heart.org.
