In recognition of the high quality of its stroke care and dedication to ensuring all stroke patients have access to best practices and life-saving care, St. Tammany Health System has been recognized by the American Heart Association with a 2022 Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus achievement award.
In addition, the health system was placed on AHA’s Target: Stroke Honor Roll.
Both awards are for 2022 and recognize achievements based on data from the prior calendar year.
“We are incredibly pleased to recognize St. Tammany Health System for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Dr. Steven Messe, chairman of the Stroke System of Care Advisory Group. “Participation in Get With The Guidelines is associated with improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities.”
Stroke, which occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked or bursts, is the fifth-highest cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States.
Because early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times, AHA’s Get With The Guidelines program strives to improve stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to evidence-based stroke treatment guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects and even prevent death.
Each year, program participants qualify for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for stroke patients.
In addition to Get With the Guidelines achievement award, the Stroke Honor Roll designation recognizes St. Tammany Health System’s meeting of specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster alteplase.
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About St. Tammany Health System
St. Tammany Health System is the heartbeat of its community, caring for patients and families with excellence, compassion and teamwork; it will strengthen the health of its community with compassion, innovation and partnership and is recognized for quality, safety and the patient experience by CareChex, Leapfrog, Healthgrades, Hospital Compare, Women’s Choice and US News & World Report. St. Tammany Parish Hospital Service District No. 1 is an independent service district in a clinically integrated partnership with Ochsner Health. Together, the two organizations focus on aligning their healthcare offerings to best serve patients and families in west St. Tammany and surrounding areas. Under their agreement, each retains its autonomy; neither manages nor owns the other. Self-supporting, not-for-profit STHS receives no tax funding. More at StTammany.health.
About Get With The Guidelines
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, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 12 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.