IU Health West nationally recognized for commitment to high-quality stroke care

The American Heart Association presents Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus award to IU Health West for proven dedication to ensuring all stroke patients have access to best practices and life-saving care.

By Charlotte Stefanski, cstefanski@iuhealth.org, writer for IU Health's Metro Region

IU Health West Hospital has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines^® - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.

Stroke is the fifth-highest cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times.

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 can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death.

“IU Health West is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” says Theresa Perry, MSN, RN, quality stroke coordinator at IU Health West. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help patients recover better. The end goal is to ensure more people in Avon and surrounding areas can experience longer, healthier lives.”

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 IU Health West for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” says Steven Messe, MD, volunteer chair 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.”

IU Health West also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Stroke^SM Honor Roll award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with thrombolytic therapy.

The hospital also met specific scientific guidelines as a Primary Stroke Center featuring a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the Emergency department.

Pictured left to right: Ryan Davis, pharmacist; James Fesenmeier, MD, neurologist; Susanne Crotty, RN, Stroke Clinical and Quality coordinator at IU Health North; Theresa Perry, MSN, RN, quality stroke coordinator at IU Health West; Sadia Saba, MD, neurologist.