OHRH Nationally Recognized For High-Quality Stroke Care

The American Heart Association presents Get With The Guidelines - Stroke Gold Plus award for proven dedication to ensuring all stroke patients have access to best practices and life-saving care

Owensboro Health Regional Hospital has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring 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 U.S. 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. 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.

“Owensboro Health Regional Hospital is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” Mark Marsh, Owensboro Health President and CEO, said. “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 more people in Owensboro 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. 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 Owensboro Health for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Steven Messe, M.D., 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 – a win for health care systems, families and communities.”

Owensboro Health received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Honor Roll award. Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims 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. Additionally, the hospital received the Target: Stroke Honor Roll, recognizing how the facility’s process expedites the care of stroke patients when they arrive so that they get timely care, saving brain cells.

“Patients can be confident that when they receive stroke care at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital, they receive evidence-based care. They can be assured that our team values quality of care, their experiences and outcomes and that we strive to provide that care to every patient, every time,” Tabitha Drane, Owensboro Health Clinical Program Specialist, said.

“The stroke team continuously reviews our processes and protocols to ensure that our work meets the needs of our patients and their loved ones while using evidenced-based care to improve patient outcomes and decrease stroke complications,” she said. “Our team members work hard every day to ensure that our patients get the best care for stroke. Stroke care is truly interdisciplinary, from rapid triage, assessment and intervention in the emergency department, to early acute care and therapy in the hospital to rehabilitation and reintegration back into the community. This award signifies our team members' commitment to our work and our patients.

“Our stroke team is proud of the work that we do day in and day out with our stroke patients.  To be recognized for this on a national level is a great honor for all involved.”
 

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.