Pali Momi Medical Center, Straub Medical Center and Wilcox Medical Center have received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke quality achievement award for their commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, which ultimately leads to more lives saved and reduced disability.
Stroke is the No. 5 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.
“Hawaii Pacific Health’s medical centers, including Pali Momi and Straub, are committed to improving patient care,” said David Underriner, HPH’s executive vice president of Oahu operations. “This includes making sure our team is always well trained in the latest treatment guidelines, which studies show can help patients recover better.”
“The end goal is to ensure more people on Kauai and across Hawai‘i can experience longer, healthier lives,” said Jen Chahanovich, president and CEO of Wilcox Medical Center, and CEO for Kauai Medical Clinic. “This Get With The Guidelines recognition is an honor. It reinforces the dedication of our team to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis.”
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 Pali Momi, Straub and Wilcox medical centers for their 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.”
All three Hawai‘i Pacific Health medical centers also received the American Heart Association’s Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll Elite. 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.
Pali Momi, Straub and Wilcox also 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.