CHI St. Vincent North, the home of the CHI St. Vincent Arkansas Neuroscience Institute, has received the American Heart Association’s Bronze Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Quality Achievement Award for the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines.

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. On average, someone in the United States suffers a stroke every 40 seconds and nearly 795,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke each year. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and speeding recovery times.

“CHI St. Vincent North is honored to be recognized by the American Heart Association for our dedication to helping patients have the best possible chance of survival during and after a stroke,” said Shawn Barnett, president of CHI St. Vincent North. “Get With The Guidelines-Stroke makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis to improve outcomes for stroke patients.”

Get With The Guidelines-Stroke was developed to assist healthcare professionals by providing the most up-to-date, research-based guidelines for treating stroke patients. Each year, program participants apply for award recognition by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for stroke patients. Participants also provide education to patients to help them manage their health and rehabilitation once at home.

“We are pleased to recognize CHI St. Vincent North for their commitment to stroke care,” said Dr. Lee H. Schwamm, national chairperson of the Quality Oversight Committee and Executive Vice Chair of Neurology, Director of Acute Stroke Services at Massachusetts General Hospital. “Research has shown that hospitals adhering to clinical measures through the Get With The Guidelines quality improvement initiative can often see fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates.”