CHI wins recognition for stroke patient care

CHI Memorial Hospital Chattanooga has received the American Heart Association’s Gold Plus “Get With The Guidelines” — Stroke quality achievement award, and CHI Memorial Hospital Hixson has received the AHA’s Silver Plus Get With The Guidelines — Stroke award.

Get With The Guidelines — Stroke is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to top guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death.

“CHI Memorial is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” Diona Brown, market senior vice president, cardiovascular and neurosciences in a news release. “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 Chattanooga and the surrounding counties can experience longer, healthier lives.”

Each year, program participants qualify for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed 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.

CHI Memorial Hospital Chattanooga and Hixson also received the American Heart Association’s Target: StrokeSM 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 the clot-busting medication.

Both hospitals also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 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, evidencebased care when hospitalized due to stroke.