Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital receives American Heart Association recognition for high-quality stroke care
(PRUnderground) August 2nd, 2024
The American Heart Association recently recognized Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital with its Get with the Guideline’s Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for its work to ensure that stroke patients in Southern Utah receive the most appropriate treatment, according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines.
Because of these efforts, Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital is helping to save lives and reduce disability for stroke patients, according to the AHA.
Stroke is the fifth leading 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 American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research and evidence-based guidelines.
“Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said Tyler Owens, MD, stroke medical director at Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital. “These national guidelines make it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work daily, which studies show can help patients recover better. Our goal is to ensure people in Southern Utah who experience a stroke can experience longer, healthier lives.”
Each year, program participants qualify for the award by demonstrating how their hospital or health system 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.
“We are incredibly pleased to recognize Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Steven Messe, MD, 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, which is a win for health care systems, families, and communities.”
Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital also received the AHA’s Target: Stroke Elite Plus award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with thrombolytic therapy.
Intermountain Health St. George Regional Hospital is also the recipient of the AHA’s Target: Stroke Honor Roll Advanced Therapy award by meeting specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment to remove the clot causing the stroke.
Additionally, Intermountain Health St. George Regional Hospital received the AHA’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award. This award recognizes hospitals who work 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.
“Patients who experience a cerebrovascular event require fast, efficient, and detail-oriented care. It takes tireless work and attention to create a system of care that provides each patient the best outcome possible,” said Dr. Owens. “It’s a responsibility that we hold with pride. Being recognized as an elite stroke center comes as no easy feat. We’re grateful to our unique community of caretakers, coordinators, and leaders who made this achievement possible. We aim to continue to grow as a team and earn this award again next year.”
About Intermountain Health
Headquartered in Utah with locations in six states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Health is a nonprofit system of 33 hospitals, 385 clinics, medical groups with some 4,600 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a health plans division called Select Health with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For more information or updates, see https://intermountainhealthcare.org/news.
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Original Press Release.
