UNC Health Blue Ridge Earns AHA Recognition
UNC Health Blue Ridge has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for demonstrating commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of stroke, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times, and fewer readmissions to the hospital.
Stroke is the number five cause of death in the United States, according to the AHA. Studies show patients can recover better when providers consistently follow treatment guidelines.
UNC Health Blue Ridge met specific scientific guidelines as a Primary Stroke Center, featuring a comprehensive system for the rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department.
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 evidence- and research-based guidelines. As a participant in the Get With The Guidelines program, UNC Health Blue Ridge qualified for the award by demonstrating its commitment to improving the quality of care.
“We are committed to improving care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines and streamlining processes to ensure timely and proper care for strokes,” said Gary Paxson, UNC Health Blue Ridge President and CEO. “Get With The Guidelines programs make it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which helps us ensure more people in our community experience longer, healthier lives.”
UNC Health Blue Ridge 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 thrombolytic therapy.
UNC Health Blue Ridge also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll award. Blue Ridge 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.
“These awards show UNC Health Blue Ridge's commitment to caring for those in the community who need cardiovascular care,” said Donald Lloyd-Jones, past volunteer president of the American Heart Association and current volunteer chair of the Association’s Quality Oversight Committee. “By following the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols, Blue Ridge can help realize our shared
vision of improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates — a win for health care systems, families and communities.”
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 14 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.
