Wadley Regional Medical Center's dedication to providing the high quality care to stroke patients is paying off with recognition from the American Heart Association.
Wadley accepted the Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite from the AHA Tuesday. It's the highest award given by the organization for stroke care.
"This is the highest level award you can possibly get. It means they're treating stroke patients at the right time with the right care," said Cammie Marti, director of quality for AHA. "They're giving a very high level of care for stroke patients. Timing is critical. When you're having a stroke your brain is holding its breath because it isn't getting oxygen to whatever tissues are affected. I'm very, very proud of Wadley. What a privilege to have such good stroke care here."
Providing the level of care Wadley is providing takes a team approach beginning with EMS.
"It takes a lot of work and coordination. You always have to be on standby," Marti said.
Tom Gilbert, Wadley CEO, recognized his staff for their dedication to providing high quality care to people suffering a stroke.
"We have a wonderful program here. Everyone as this hospital is proud of the stroke program," Gilbert said.
The numbers that allowed Wadley to qualify for recognition from AHA represent lives.
"Behind every data point there is a patient," Marti said. "This care is a person's life. These numbers represent a person's life and their quality of life."
Hospitals must achieve 85 percent or higher adherence to all achievement indicators for two or more consecutive years and achieve 75 percent or higher compliance with five of eight Get With The Guidelines- Stroke quality measures to receive the Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award.
"A stroke patient loses 1.9 million neurons each minute stroke treatment is delayed. This recognition further demonstrates our commitment to delivering advanced stroke treatments to patients quickly and safely," said Dr. Khalid Malik, medical director for Wadley's stroke program.
"Wadley 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," Malik said.
Symptoms of stroke include:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause.
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.