ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah and ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Appleton recently earned gold and silver national quality achievement awards respectively for their stroke care. The health system’s rural hospitals also earned similar distinctions for their stroke expertise.
The awards, courtesy of the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® program, highlight the health organization’s commitment to providing patients in northeast and central Wisconsin the most appropriate stroke treatment in accordance with nationally-recognized and research-based guidelines. The guidelines are designed to lead to more lives saved and potentially reduced disability.
ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah earned a Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll. ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Appleton earned a Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Silver Plus with Target: Stoke Honor Roll with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll.
The Target: Type 2 Diabetes recognition 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.
“These accolades highlight our team’s strong commitment to providing the highest quality stroke care for our patients and their families,” said Dr. Michael Hooker, ThedaCare Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Acute Care. “When someone is experiencing a stroke, every second counts. The Get With the Guidelines® program ensures we deliver timely, top-quality care to our communities, helping patients return to their best lives as quickly as possible.”
The following ThedaCare facilities also earned Get With The Guidelines® recognitions:
- ThedaCare Medical Center-Berlin: Get With The Guidelines®-Rural Stroke Silver
- ThedaCare Medical Center-Berlin: Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
- ThedaCare Medical Center-New London: Get With The Guidelines®-Rural Stroke Gold
- ThedaCare Medical Center-New London: Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Silver Plus
- ThedaCare Medical Center-Shawano: Get With The Guidelines®-Rural Stroke Bronze
- ThedaCare Medical Center-Shawano: Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Silver with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
- ThedaCare Medical Center-Waupaca: Get With The Guidelines®-Rural Stroke Silver
- ThedaCare Medical Center-Waupaca: Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Silver Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
- ThedaCare Medical Center-Wild Rose: Get With The Guidelines®-Rural Stroke Bronze
A stroke is a condition in which poor blood flow to the brain results in cell death. It is an emergency situation, one in which people are strongly encouraged to dial 911 for assistance.
Stroke is the fifth cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S.
There are two main types of stroke: Ischemic and hemorrhagic.
Ischemic strokes, the most common type, occur when a clot blocks a vessel supplying blood to the brain. This blockage cuts off oxygen, leading to brain cell damage.
Hemorrhagic strokes are less common but often more severe. They happen when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, causing bleeding that damages nearby brain tissue. This may lead to severe symptoms that worsen quickly.
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 may minimize the long-term effects of a stroke 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 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 ThedaCare for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Dr. Steven Messe, Volunteer Chairperson of the American Heart Association 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.”
