News

Pardee gets 'GoldPlus' award for treatment of strokes

By Lightning Reports, Published: July 22, 2022

Pardee UNC Health Care has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines GoldPlus-Stroke quality achievement award for its 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.

Pardee was also awarded the Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll recognition, which aims to ensure patients with type 2 diabetes receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized with cardiovascular disease or stroke.

“If you have diabetes, your chances of having a stroke are 1½ times higher than in people who don't have diabetes,” said Dr. Joel Callahan, medical director of Pardee Neurology Associates.
In March 2022, a 44-year-old diabetic patient who experienced facial drooping and slurred speech while at work, telltale signs of stroke, was immediately taken to the emergency department.

“A stroke victim only has eligibility for three to four hours from the time of onset of signs or symptoms to receive clot-busting medications, like tPA, which dramatically help their chances of survival,” Callahan said. The patient was within this window and able to be treated with tPA, which works by dissolving blood clots that block blood flow to the brain. “Because of the timely response and high-quality care received at Pardee, the patient went home just two days later without any neurological deficits,” Callahan said.
Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times.
Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research- and evidence-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines-Stroke is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death.
“Pardee is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said Susan Odom, administrative director for Pardee's Cardiovascular Services. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work daily, which studies show can help patients recover better. The end goal is to ensure our community 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.
Get With The Guidelines is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 12 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.