Awards Recognize New Hanover Regional Medical Center’s Quality Care for Stroke Patients

by 06/24/2019

Wilmington, NC – New Hanover Regional Medical Center has received the Get With The Guidelines Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award from the American Stroke Association/American Heart Association. The award recognizes a commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines.

NHRMC earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients. These 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 for stroke patients.

“Receiving this recognition for the fourth year in a row is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of the stroke team,” said James S. McKinney, MD, Medical Director, NHRMC Stroke Center. “The sustained success of the stroke program also indicates the ongoing support and commitment of NHRMC to provide the highest quality care to our patients.”

NHRMC also received the association’s Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus award for meeting quality measures that reduce the time between the patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment.

“We are pleased to recognize NHRMC for their commitment to stroke care,” said Lee H. Schwamm, MD, national chairperson of the Quality Oversight Committee and Executive Vice Chair of Neurology, Director of Acute Stroke Services, Massachusetts General Hospital. “Research has shown that hospitals adhering to clinical measures through the Get With The Guidelines quality improvement initiative can often see fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates.”

Stroke is the leading cause of disability and fifth cause of the death in the United States. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is cut off. This may happen because an artery in the brain is blocked (ischemic stroke) or an artery in the brain starts bleeding (hemorrhagic stroke).

NHRMC’s stroke team includes physicians, nurses, pharmacists, therapists, and other healthcare professionals working together to provide comprehensive, coordinated care. Their goal is to improve outcomes by providing treatments based on national standards of care.

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