A news release from Harris Health System announces that Ben Taub Hospital has been named the recipient of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus-Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus Award.
The release notes that the newly created elite award signifies that the hospital has achieved high marks for response and care provided for acute ischemic strokes.
Robert Trenschel, DO, MPH, FACHE, executive vice president and administrator, Ben Taub Hospital, emphasizes in the release that the award reflects the staff’s commitment to excellence in patient care.
“To achieve this award, Ben Taub Hospital demonstrated 24 consecutive months of superior performance in the care of stroke patients. There is no higher recognition. Most importantly this signifies that patients coming to Ben Taub Hospital will receive the highest quality care possible in the treatment of stroke and continues to fortify our position as a community asset,” Trenschel says.
The release reports that stroke center certifications are an increasingly important way to demonstrate a stroke center’s expertise and leadership. In Texas, the level of certification determines where trauma and EMS services will transport patients for the most appropriate stroke care.
Naylon Bird, manager, Stroke Program, Ben Taub Hospital, explains that the key behind the organization’s successful stroke program lies in “hard work and dedication from stroke team members.”
“Our multi-disciplinary team strives to go above and beyond to improve processes and assure that our patients receive the highest standard of stroke care,” Bird notes.
The release says that in order to receive the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus-Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus, Ben Taub achieved an 85% or higher adherence to all program indicators for two or more consecutive 12-month intervals and achieved 75% or higher compliance with at least five of eight Get With The Guidelines-Stroke quality measures.
Additionally, the Elite Plus recognition signifies that the hospital achieved a door-to-needle time of 60 minutes or less in 75% of cases and, in at least 50% of cases, achieved door-to-needle times of 45 minutes or less.
Joseph Kass, MD, JD, chief of Neurology and medical director of Stroke Service, Ben Taub Hospital, and associate professor, department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, says the award also demonstrates Ben Taub’s commitment to being one of the top hospitals in the country for providing aggressive, proven stroke care.
“We will continue to focus on providing care to quickly and efficiently treat stroke patients with evidence-based protocols,” Kass says.
Source(s): Newswise, Harris Health System
