UK King’s Daughters has earned the American Heart Association’s top honor for stroke care for the twelfth consecutive year. The hospital received the Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll. This achievement underscores a sustained commitment to improving outcomes for stroke patients in the region, solidifying UK King’s Daughters as one of only three medical centers in Kentucky to reach this level of recognition, and the sole center in the Tri-State area.
Significance of the Recognition
The Get With The Guidelines program acknowledges hospitals that consistently provide evidence-based care, leading to enhanced recovery, reduced disability, and improved survival rates for stroke patients. By following strict clinical guidelines, UK King’s Daughters ensures that patients receive timely and appropriate treatment, which is crucial during a stroke when every minute counts.
Research indicates that hospitals participating in this program typically experience better patient outcomes, including lower rates of readmissions and a decreased risk of long-term disability. The recognition reflects UK King’s Daughters’ ability to meet and exceed these essential standards.
Criteria for Excellence
Achieving this prestigious recognition requires excellence across numerous performance measures, including:
– Administration of clot-busting medication (IV thrombolytics) within 4.5 hours of symptom onset.
– Door-to-needle times: delivering medication within 60 minutes, with 75% of patients receiving it within 45 minutes and 50% within 30 minutes.
– Antithrombotic therapy initiated by hospital day two and at discharge.
– VTE prophylaxis and dysphagia screening completed by hospital day two.
– Stroke education, smoking cessation counseling, and rehabilitation assessments.
– Prescribing anticoagulation for patients with atrial fibrillation or flutter.
– Documentation of the NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS).
– Intensive statin therapy prescribed at discharge.
These measures are critical in facilitating faster recovery for stroke patients, allowing them to return to their daily lives with fewer complications.
The achievement of this award is a collective effort from all members of the stroke care team at UK King’s Daughters. It encompasses the dedication of emergency department physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, the ACT team, radiology and vascular lab teams, EMS crews who rapidly identify strokes in the field, as well as intensivists and hospitalists.
The commitment to excellence from every individual involved is invaluable. UK King’s Daughters expresses deep gratitude for the team’s dedication, skill, and passion in supporting stroke patients during critical times.
Setting Standards in Stroke Care
Stroke remains a leading cause of death and disability across the United States. Despite this, initiatives like those at UK King’s Daughters are making a significant impact. The latest recognition not only confirms that the hospital complies with national standards but also positions it as a leader in setting those standards in stroke care.
By continuously striving for excellence, UK King’s Daughters is ensuring that patients receive the best possible care, thereby improving health outcomes for stroke patients throughout the region.
