Boulder Community Health’s Foothills Hospital has received the Get
With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold-Plus Quality Achievement Award for
implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American
Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) for the treatment
of stroke patients.
The award recognizes BCH’s commitment to providing stroke treatment
based on nationally-recognized, research-based guidelines and the latest
scientific evidence. To qualify, hospitals must meet quality measures
developed to reduce the time between the patient’s arrival at the
hospital and their treatment with a specific clot-busting drug.
“A stroke patient loses 1.9 million neurons each minute stroke treatment
is delayed. This recognition demonstrates our commitment to delivering
advanced stroke treatments to patients quickly and safely,” said
Dr. Robert J. Vissers, President and Chief Executive Officer for BCH.
“Boulder Community Health strives for excellence in the acute treatment
of stroke patients. We're very proud that our team's hard work
has been recognized by the American Heart Association/American Stroke
Association’s Get With The Guidelines-Stroke program,” Dr.
Vissers said.
Stroke is the number five cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability
in the United States, according to the American Heart Association/American
Stroke Association. On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every
40 seconds and someone dies of a stroke every four minutes.
“We are pleased to recognize Boulder Community Health’s Foothills
Hospital for their commitment and dedication to stroke care,” said
Dr. Paul Heidenreich, M.S., national chairperson of the Get With The Guidelines
steering committee and Professor of Medicine at Stanford University. “Research
has shown there are benefits to patients who are treated at hospitals
that have adopted the Get With The Guidelines program.”
Get With The Guidelines Stroke provides hospital teams with up-to-date,
research-based guidelines that support the goals of speeding recovery
and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. Foothills Hospital
earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for
the rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for
a designated period. These measures include aggressive use of medications
and risk-reduction therapies aimed at reducing death and disability and
improving the lives of stroke patients.
More About BCH’s Nationally Certified Stroke Care