Doctors Hospital of Augusta has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment. By utilizing nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, Gold Plus hospitals have demonstrated better patient outcomes and reduced disability. 

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and a major cause of disability in the U.S. It occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When this happens, part of the brain is deprived of the blood and oxygen it needs, causing brain cells to die. Early detection and treatment of stroke is crucial for improving survival, minimizing disability, and accelerating recovery times.

Get With The Guidelines brings the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to hospitals nationwide, ensuring that patient care aligns with the latest research and evidence-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines - Stroke is an in-hospital program designed to improve stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can reduce the long-term effects of stroke and even prevent death.

“Doctors Hospital of Augusta is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said Joanna Conley, FACHE, Chief Executive Officer at Doctors Hospital. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to utilize proven treatment and guidelines daily, which studies show can help patients recover more effectively. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that more people in the CSRA can experience longer, healthier lives.”

Each year, program participants qualify for the award by demonstrating their commitment to providing quality care for stroke patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also educate patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home.

 “We are incredibly pleased to recognize Doctors Hospital for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Steven Messe, M.D., volunteer chairperson of the American Heart Association Stroke System of Care Advisory Group and professor of neurology and director of fellowships of neurology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. “Participation in Get With The Guidelines is associated with improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities.”

Doctors Hospital of Augusta also received the American Heart Association’s Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll Elite Plus 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. 

Doctors Hospital of Augusta also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll award. Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke.

Doctors Hospital also met specific scientific guidelines as a Primary Stroke Center, featuring a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department.