Alexian Brothers Medical Center and St. Alexius Medical Center Receive American Stroke Association's Get With The Guidelines(SM)

The Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village, IL, and St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates, IL, have achieved the Silver Performance Achievement Award from the American Stroke Association's Get With The Guidelines(SM) - Stroke program. This recognition highlights the commitment of both hospitals to provide high-quality stroke care, adhering to national standards and recommendations. The hospitals' comprehensive system for rapid stroke diagnosis and treatment includes brain-imaging scans, neurologist evaluations, and the use of clot-busting medications when necessary.

Key Takeaways:

The Alexian Brothers Medical Center and St. Alexius Medical Center have developed a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients, including brain-imaging scans, neurologist evaluations, and the use of clot-busting medications when necessary.
Both hospitals have consistently complied with the requirements of the Get With The Guidelines(SM) - Stroke program for at least one year, achieving 85 percent compliance with protocols such as aggressive use of medications like tPA, antithrombotics, anticoagulation therapy, DVT prophylaxis, cholesterol reducing drugs, and smoking cessation.
The American Stroke Association commends the hospitals for implementing standards of care and protocols, noting that the full implementation of acute care and secondary prevention recommendations and guidelines is a critical step in saving lives and improving outcomes for stroke patients.
The hospitals utilize the "teachable moment" to educate patients on managing their risk factors, reducing the risk of a second heart attack or stroke.
The GWTG Patient Management Tool provides access to up-to-date cardiovascular and stroke science at the point of care.
St. Alexius Medical Center was the first community hospital in Illinois to receive a Get With the Guidelines Quality award for stroke in 2005.
The number of acute ischemic stroke patients eligible for treatment is expected to grow over the next decade due to increasing stroke incidence and a large aging population.

Statistics:

Approximately 700,000 people suffer a stroke each year, with 500,000 being first attacks and 200,000 being recurrent.
Of stroke survivors, 21 percent of men and 24 percent of women die within a year.
For those aged 65 and older, the percentage of deaths within a year is even higher.

Sources:

American Stroke Association
Alexian Brothers Hospital Network
Health & Medicine Week editors