Jefferson Receives American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines Gold Performance Achievement Award
The American Stroke Association recently awarded Thomas Jefferson University Hospital’s (TJUH) stroke program its Get With The GuidelinesSM–Stroke
(GWTG–Stroke) Gold Performance Achievement Award at the association’s
International Stroke Conference 2009. The award recognizes TJUH’s
commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of stroke care
by ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment according to
evidence-based guidelines.
“In
treating stroke, time to treatment is a key factor in predicting
patient outcomes,” said Rodney Bell, M.D., neurologist and director of
the Jefferson Stroke Center. “Receiving the Get With The
Guidelines–Stroke Gold Performance Achievement Award shows that TJUH is
continuing to treat its stroke patients quickly and effectively.”
Through
GWTG-Stroke, TJUH is tracking comprehensive efforts to rapidly diagnose
and treat stroke patients admitted to the emergency department. This
includes being equipped to provide brain imaging scans, having
neurologists available to conduct patient evaluations and using
clot-busting medications when appropriate.
To
receive the GWTG-Stroke Gold Performance Achievement Award,
TJUHconsistently complied for at least 24 months with the requirements
in the GWTG–Strokeprogram. These include aggressive use of medications
like tPA, antithrombotics, anticoagulation therapy, DVT prophylaxis,
cholesterol reducing drugs, and smoking cessation. This 24 month
evaluation period reflects an ongoing effort of the hospital to
continually maintain 85 percent compliance required for an award.
“The
American Stroke Association recognizes TJUHfor successfully
implementing proven standards of care for stroke treatment,” said Lee
H. Schwamm, M.D., vice chair of the Get With The Guidelines steering
committee and vice chairman of the neurology department at
Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. “By meeting Get With The
Guidelines-Stroke Gold Performance Achievement Award criteria, TJUH
demonstrates its active, ongoing effort to improve the outcomes of the
stroke patients it serves and save more lives.”
The
GWTG Patient Management Tool provides access to up-to-date
cardiovascular and stroke science at the point of care. “Articles
published in leading scientific journals have increasingly documented
the effectiveness of Get With The Guidelines-Stroke. The time is right
for TJUH to continue its focus on providing high quality, science-based
stroke care. The number of acute ischemic stroke patients eligible for
treatment is expected to grow over the next decade due to increasing
stroke incidence and a large aging population,” said Dr. Bell.
GWTG
is a comprehensive program that provides an online interactive
assessment and report tool, resources, quarterly workshops, training
and feedback to staff at participating hospitals. The goal is to
improve implementation of evidence-based interventions that are proven
to reduce complications after stroke and the chances of a subsequent
stroke or heart attack.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States. According to the American Stroke Association, approximately
795,000 people each year experience a new or recurrent stroke.
About GWTG:
Get With The GuidelinesSM(GWTG)
is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s
hospital-based quality improvement program that empowers healthcare
teams to save lives and reduce healthcare costs by helping hospitals
follow evidence-based guidelines and recommendations.
Visit americanheart.org/getwiththeguidelines for more information.
Media Only Contact:
Ed Federico
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Phone: (215) 955-6300
Published: 1/18/2010