Article originally published June 29, 2018.
Fairfield Medical Center is proud to receive, for the second year in a row, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines® Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. This award recognizes the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines that are focused on the latest scientific evidence.
To receive this award, FMC had to meet specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. This included evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke treatments to ensure alignment with the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines, all with the goal of improving recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. The measures also look at whether patients, prior to discharge, have scheduled a follow-up visit and are receiving education on care transition interventions and health management.
“We are pleased to accept our newest recognition from the AHA Get with the Guidelines®,” said Helen Harding, Chief Nursing Officer at Fairfield Medical Center. “This recognition honors the dedication and hard work that our clinical staff strive for each and every day for the care of patients in this community. The clinical staff from the ED through the outpatient follow-up services provide an excellent, high standard of care for every stroke patient. We are privileged to care for patients at a most critical time in their healthcare journey right here, close to home.”
According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 40 seconds and nearly 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.
“We are pleased to recognize Fairfield Medical Center for their commitment to stroke care,” said Lee H. Schwamm, M.D., national chairperson of the Quality Oversight Committee and Executive Vice Chair of Neurology, Director of Acute Stroke Services, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. “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.”