For the second year in a row, Princeton Medical Center (PMC) received 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.
PMC earned its second consecutive Gold Plus Award by meeting or exceeding specific quality achievement measures for diagnosing and treating stroke patients for three 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 program supports excellent care every step of the way, particularly in expediting diagnosis and treatment,” said Paul K. Kaiser, MD, Medical Director of PMC’s Stroke Program. “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. 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.