Consistency with Best Standards of Care Earns Lourdes Stroke Center the Stroke Association's Top Award
The Get with the Guidelines – Stroke program of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association helps hospitals measure, compare and improve their performance in stroke care. The program is key example of national efforts by hospitals to conform to established guidelines for treating major diseases.
Hospitals earn recognition in the program for following treatment guidelines in certain key measures at least 85 percent of the time over a given time period. The Lourdes Stroke Center began participating in the Get with the Guidelines program in 2007, making it eligible for the program's Bronze Award, which it received later in that year. After a full year of participation, the center was eligible for its current Silver Award, which it received in 2008. The center is seeking the Gold Award in 2009, for two continuous years of consistent results in meeting the criteria of excellence defined by the program.
"The guidelines are based on evidence about what really works in stroke care," explains Debbie Gillen MSN, RN, CMSRN, Stroke Coordinator at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center. "The program provides an opportunity to give certain stroke centers the recognition they deserve."
Studies have proven that following the Get with the Guidelines standards—which are based on stroke achievement, reporting and quality measures [907K PDF]—improves outcomes for patients. Participating in the program provides centers with additional tools to assess their services and to identify iany variance in their care from standards
Joining the Get with the Guidelines program has helped Lourdes understand how its stroke services perform, compared to other stroke centers around the country. "And that effort allows us to improve continuously," says Gillen. "The goal is to save lives and save function in stroke patients."
