St. Joseph’s/Candler is nationally recognized for its commitment to providing high-quality stroke care
Sep 10, 2024
The American Heart Association presents Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke GoldPlus award to both St. Joseph’s Hospital and Candler Hospital
St. Joseph’s/Candler has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke GoldPlus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.
Both St. Joseph’s Hospital and Candler Hospital achieved the award by demonstrating how the stroke program at each campus has committed to providing quality care. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also educate patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home.
St. Joseph’s Hospital also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Stroke Honor Roll award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with thrombolytic therapy.
“St. Joseph’s/Candler is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said SJ/C’s Stroke Program Coordinator Cristen Wood. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help patients recover better. The end goal is to ensure more people in Savannah and the surrounding region can experience longer, healthier lives.”
Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times.
Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research- and evidence-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines - Stroke is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke.
About St. Joseph’s/Candler
St. Joseph's/Candler is dedicated to reducing the number of deaths and permanent disabilities caused by stroke. Our stroke team is available 24 hours a day and consists of emergency physicians, neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, neurohospitalists, nurses, therapists and paramedics--all of whom are trained to recognize and treat the early signs of stroke. St. Joseph's/Candler is one of the first five hospitals in the country to achieve the designation as a Primary Stroke Center, awarded by The Joint Commission. To learn more, visit www.sjchs.org/stroke.
About Get With The Guidelines®
Get With The Guidelines® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with tools and resources to increase adherence to the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 6 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.