Lakewood Ranch Medical Center recognized for quality stroke care

The Lakewood Ranch Medical Center announced on Tuesday it had received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines Stroke Silver Plus Quality Achievement Award.

According to a release, the award recognizes the hospital's commitment and success at making sure stroke patients receive appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized guidelines.

To be honored, hospitals must achieve 85% or higher achievement rate in adherence to "Get With the Guidelines, Stroke Achievement indicators for at least 12 consecutive months and during the same time achieve a 75% or higher compliance with five of eight Get with the Guidelines measures.

The guidelines are designed to prompt hospitals to follow the most up-to-date, evidence based treatments.

“A stroke patient loses 1.9 million neurons each minute stroke treatment is delayed," said Andy Guz, the CEO for the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, in the release. "This recognition further demonstrates our commitment to delivering advanced stroke treatments to patients quickly and safely. Lakewood Ranch Medical Center continues to strive for excellence in the acute treatment of stroke patients. The recognition from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines-Stroke further reinforces our team’s hard work.”

Also in the release, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center also met specific scientific guidelines as an Advanced Primary Stroke Center featuring a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of patients with stroke admitted to the emergency department.

“The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association recognize Lakewood Ranch Medical Center for its commitment to stroke care,” said Paul Heidenreich, the national chairman of the "Get with the Guidelines" steering committee and professor of medicine at Stanford University. “Research has shown there are benefits to patients who are treated at hospitals that have adopted the Get With The Guidelines program.