Aug 1

Aug 1 Better Response For Stroke Victims

MedStar Health Announces MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center’s National Recognition Award for Delivering High-Quality Stroke Care

CLINTON, MD - There’s no perfect response to stroke attacks as yet but one county-based hospital system has gotten closer to that goal.

MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center has received the American Heart Associations’ Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke Gold quality award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate and timely treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.

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. MedStar Southern Maryland qualified for the Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold quality award by demonstrating its commitment to providing quality care for stroke patients, following comprehensive treatment guidelines, and educating patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home.

“Access to the highest level of stroke care is critical for patients across our community, and the Get With The Guidelines - Stroke award demonstrates our hospital’s commitment to adhering to the latest treatment guidelines for the best outcomes for stroke patients,” said Stephen Michaels, MD, FAAOS, FACHE, president, MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center and senior vice president, MedStar Health.

One of the busiest stroke centers in the region, MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center is a designated primary stroke center by the Maryland Institute of EMS Systems (MIEMSS). Because time is of the essence when treating stroke, the hospital’s specially trained emergency stroke team quickly cares for acute stroke patients using the latest in thrombolytics or “clot busting” drugs, emergency room neurological telehealth assessments, as well as advanced neurological imaging such as MRI, CT, CT angiography, and CT perfusion studies. The stroke program is also active in the community, providing outreach and education to patients, caregivers, and medical professionals through community events and educational opportunities.

“When a stroke occurs, access to quality and timely interventions is critical. I am extremely proud of the work being done in our primary stroke center to ensure that every patient that comes through our doors receives the care needed to stop or reverse the debilitating effects of stroke,” added Chile Ahaghotu, MD, MBA, MHL, FACS, vice president of medical affairs and chief medical officer at MedStar Southern Maryland.

MedStar Southern Maryland 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.