Adventist HealthCare hospitals in Montgomery County have earned national recognition for their commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive high-quality care. Shady Grove Medical Center was recognized with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get with The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus and Target: Stroke Elite Plus Honor Roll awards. White Oak Medical Center achieved the Get with The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus and Target: Stroke Honor Roll awards. Both hospitals were also awarded the association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll recognition.

High-quality stroke care ultimately leads to more lives saved, shorter recovery times, and fewer readmissions to the hospitals. Stroke is the number-five cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability, and accelerating recovery times. Both hospitals are committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest research-based guidelines.

To achieve the Target: Honor Roll recognition, each hospital met seven achievement measures over the course of three years. Those measures track stroke treatment under the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines. White Oak Medical Center had to administer the clot-dissolving tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) treatment to at least 75 percent of ischemic stroke patients within 60 minutes of arrival to receive the distinction. In addition, in order to achieve the Stroke Elite Plus Honor Roll award, Shady Grove Medical Center had to administer treatment to at least 75 percent of stroke patients in 45 minutes or less. Both hospitals completed these procedures with high-quality outcomes.

To receive the Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll recognition, both hospitals met five eligibility requirements, which included qualifying for a Silver level or higher achievement for the Get with The Guidelines® module, demonstrating compliance for the overall diabetes cardiovascular initiative composite score for 12 consecutive months.

“It is an honor to receive this recognition from the AHA,” said Yolanda Chik, MD, Stroke Medical director for White Oak Medical Center. “It is a testament to the tireless efforts of every member of the White Oak team in providing world-class stroke care to our patients.”

“We are really proud of what this award represents for our patients,” said Perry Smith, MD, Stroke Medical director for Shady Grove Medical Center. “I am proud that Shady Grove can continue to offer our community the highest-rated stroke care available, year after year.”

Adventist Healthcare’s award-winning stroke centers provide immediate attention from qualified teams. The advanced technology of the stroke centers allow them to offer comprehensive treatments, minimally invasive techniques, stroke rehabilitation, and support group sessions.

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center, a not-for-profit, acute-care facility in Rockville, Maryland, is part of Adventist HealthCare’s system of services. Shady Grove’s nationally recognized services include heart and stroke care, orthopedics, bariatrics, and women’s and children’s services. The hospital also offers a range of mental health services and a freestanding cancer center. Our mission is to extend God’s care through the ministry of physical, mental, and spiritual healing.

Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center is a state-of-the-art acute-care hospital located in Silver Spring, Maryland, and part of Montgomery County-based Adventist HealthCare. White Oak Medical Center offers a full range of health services, including a comprehensive and nationally recognized heart program, cancer care, maternity care, and surgical and emergency care. White Oak Medical Center is a neighbor and research partner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and at the center of the emerging White Oak Science Gateway in Montgomery County. 

You can read the original story here