Great Plains Health recently received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With the Guidelines^® Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes Great Plains Health’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of stroke care by ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment according to nationally accepted standards and recommendations.

To receive the award, Great Plains Health achieved at least 24 consecutive months of 85 percent or higher adherence to all guideline indicators and achieved at least 75 percent or higher compliance with six of 10 quality measures during that same period of time, which are reporting initiatives to measure quality of care.

“Gold Plus is the highest level of recognition from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association and is given only after we have demonstrated high performance and adherence to quality standards for two consecutive years,” said Tina Pate, stroke coordinator at Great Plains Health. “These quality standards help guide us in the care we provide. The hope is that we can improve the lives of our patients who may have been affected by stroke.”

According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, on average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds; someone dies of a stroke every four minutes; and 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year. Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and serious, long-term disability in the United States.

“Many individuals have risk factors that if controlled helps reduce their risk for stroke. For example, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking are all controllable risk factors,” said Pate, “Treating these conditions in the hospital based on scientifically proven interventions such as medications to lower blood pressure or cholesterol, and educating the patient on medication compliance and smoking cessation helps decrease their chance of recurring stroke.”

The Stroke Center at Great Plains Health is also recognized as a Joint Commission Certified Primary Stroke Center.

“As a Stroke Center, we provide our patients with evidence-based care. This means the care provided is in line with the latest nationally recognized scientific guidelines,” said Pate. “At Great Plains Health, patients get a high level of stroke care locally without needing to travel far.”

For more information about the Great Plains Health’s Stroke Center, please contact Tina Pate, stroke coordinator, at 308.696.8507.