Evangelical Community Hospital is Nationally Recognized for High-Quality Stroke Care

Evangelical Community Hospital received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes the Hospital’s 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.

Evangelical earned the Association’s Gold Plus award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for 24 consecutive months or more. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke treatments aligned with the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. Prior to discharge, patients receive education on managing their health and have multidisciplinary follow-up visits arranged.

Evangelical also received two additional honors. The Hospital was given the American Heart Association’s Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite award. To qualify for this recognition, Evangelical met specific criteria to reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the Hospital and ischemic stroke treatment with clot-buster medication.

In addition, it received an award associated with Type 2 Diabetes. Individuals living with Type 2 diabetes have an increased risk for heart disease and stroke. The American Heart Association’s 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.

The Primary Stroke Center at Evangelical was established in 2013. As a primary stroke center, Evangelical offers 24/7 patient-centered care from inpatient through rehabilitation services including emergency medicine, laboratory, radiology, hospitalist and neurologist care, and physical, occupational, and speech