National Recognition for Outstanding Stroke Care

St. Luke’s University Health Network (SLUHN) once again has been honored by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association for its exceptional work in stroke care, earning numerous 2024 Get with The Guidelines (GWTG) awards.

The GWTG awards recognize SLUHN’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.

“These awards recognize the high-quality stroke care each hospital provides for its community,” says Daniel Ackerman, MD, FAAN, Interim Chief of Neurology and Director of Stroke and Vascular Neurology at St. Luke’s University Health Network. “Across St. Luke’s University Health Network, each of our facilities – from our largest and busiest hospitals to our local community hospitals – is committed to providing expert stroke care to every patient, every time.”

St. Luke’s hospitals honored with 2024 GWTG stroke awards are:

St. Luke’s earned the awards by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke treatments aligned with the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients.

Following is an explanation of the 2024 GWTG award recognition earned by SLUHN hospitals:

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or ruptures. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die.

According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 40 seconds and 800,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.

“Stroke care is a complicated process and requires a team approach because every second matters,” explains Dr. Ackerman. “Since stroke care starts at home when families or friends recognize symptoms, St. Luke’s takes every opportunity to provide community education. We have also forged strong partnerships with our local EMS and first responders, who are often the first medical personnel who see a patient and can begin appropriate care. At St. Luke’s hospitals, everyone is involved, from emergency department providers to the nursing staff, our radiology technologists and physicians, and our amazing registrars. They are all integral parts of providing the kind of rapid and coordinated effort that has continually earned us top honors as a stroke team.”