MetroWest Receives Get With The Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award

MetroWest Medical Center has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award at its Framingham Union Campus. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.

MetroWest Medical Center earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of patients experiencing a stroke at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke treatments aligned with the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. Before discharge, patients should also receive education on managing their health, get a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as other care transition interventions.

MetroWest Medical Center’s Framingham Union Hospital additionally received the Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Honor Roll award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet quality measures developed with more than 90 % of compliance for 12 consecutive months for the “Overall Diabetes Cardiovascular Initiative Composite Score.”

“MetroWest Medical Center’s dedicated physicians, nurses and healthcare professionals are focused on the care of our community.” said Andrew D. Harding, Chief Executive Officer. “Providing patients with the most up-to-date care for diabetes and stroke allows us to achieve the best outcomes possible. We are delighted to have the team recognized for their care to patients.”

According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 40 seconds and nearly 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.