AHA honors Tennova T-Creek with Stroke Gold Achievement

The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association recently honored Tennova Healthcare Turkey Creek Medical Center with a Get With The Guidelines Stroke Gold Achievement Award.

“We are pleased to recognize Tennova Healthcare for their commitment to stroke care,” Dr. Lee H. Schwamm, national chairperson of the association’s Quality Oversight Committee, stated in a press release. “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.”

“These awards recognize Tennova for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence,” a Tennova press release stated.

This honor was earned based on “meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period,” the release further stated. “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 up recovery time and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. Before discharge, patients should also receive education on managing their health, be scheduled for a follow-up visit, as well as other care transition interventions.”

“Tennova Healthcare is dedicated to improving the quality of care for our stroke patients by implementing the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines initiative,” stated Tony Benton, Tennova Healthcare president/CEO - East Tennessee market. “The tools and resources help us track and measure our success in meeting evidenced-based clinical guidelines developed to improve patient outcomes.

“On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds in the U.S., and someone dies of a stroke every four minutes,” Benton added. “If people having a stroke can access advanced care more quickly, more lives can be saved and more people can avoid the disabilities that stroke so often causes.”

According to AHA/ASA, stroke is the No. five cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. Almost 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.