Memorial Health System is nationally recognized for its commitment to providing high-quality stroke care
The American Heart Association presents Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus award for proven dedication to ensuring all stroke patients have access to best practices and life-saving care
GULFPORT, Miss. – June 15, 2022 – Memorial Health System has received the American Heart Association’s Gold Plus Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke 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 No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. 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.
“Memorial is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said Memorial Stroke Program Medical Director Dr. Lee Voulters. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our team 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 our community can experience longer, healthier lives and receive the best health care possible”
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 Memorial Health System for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Steven Messe, M.D., chairperson of the 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.”
Memorial also received the American Heart Association’s Target: StrokeSM 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 the clot-buster alteplase.
In addition, Memorial received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award. Target: Type 2 Diabetes 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.
Learn more about Memorial’s Stroke Center by clicking the button below or by calling 228-867-5252.
About Memorial Health System
Memorial Health System has been dedicated to healing, inspiring, and transforming the health of our community since 1946. Memorial’s expansive footprint includes three hospital facilities, three outpatient surgery locations, a medical office building, outpatient diagnostic centers, more than 100 Memorial Physician Clinics, and post-acute services including skilled nursing, long-term care, certified Alzheimer/Dementia Unit, and continuous care community living. With a vision of being the driving force that improves the health of our patients throughout their lifetime, Memorial is committed to advanced care. Memorial offers several of the region’s most comprehensive clinical programs and medical specialties unique to the Coast, including: a Level III Neonatal ICU, state-designated Level II Trauma Center, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, and Mississippi’s first nationally-certified Primary Stroke Center. Learn more by visiting wearememorial.com.
About Get With The Guidelines®
Get With The Guidelines® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 12 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.