Erlanger Hospital Services

Erlanger Regional Stroke Center

FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS

FOR PATIENTS

Erlanger recognized for Stroke Center performance

Corley Roberts, director of Quality Improvement Initiatives for the southeast affiliate of the American Heart Association, presented a certificate to The Erlanger Stroke Center on October 16. The Get With The Guidelines (GWTG)-Stroke Participating Hospital for 2007-2008 Award is part of a national program designed to improve acute stroke treatment and prevent future strokes and cardiovascular events.

Hospitals participating in the program work to accomplish national guidelines such as developing a Primary Stroke Center, identifying key staff members and building a team, assessing treatment rates, evaluating baseline data and determine areas for improvement, refining processes, protocols and systems, implementing the changes and continuing the pursuit of clinical excellence.

“Using GWTG standardized performance measures demonstrates our hospital’s dedication to provide optimum treatment and care for stroke survivors,” said Erlanger’s Stroke Program Coordinator Pat Joly. “Analysis of the GWTG data collected on all stroke patients provides us with information to continually improve treatment plans and clinical practice to provide better outcomes for our patients.”

“We measure ten standards for treatment and discharge of stroke patients,” added Joly. “Some of these guidelines include screening for dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, prior to oral intake to prevent aspiration pneumonia, DVT prophylaxis to prevent blood clot formation in a non-ambulatory patient, antithrombotic medication given within 48 hours, antithrombotic given to patient at discharge for secondary stroke prevention and counseling for smoking cessation.”

GWTG programs also require at least one annual community outreach or education program. The Erlanger Stroke Center surpasses that guideline by providing many outreach programs throughout the year by participating in regional health fairs, screenings and information sessions.

This is the second year Erlanger has participated in this program