GW Hospital Achieves Highest Stroke Recognition from American Heart Association®/American Stroke Association®
The George Washington University Hospital (GW Hospital) has received the American Heart Association®/American Stroke Association’s® Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus, Target: Stroke Elite, and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll. The award is the highest stroke recognition possible. It recognizes GW Hospital’s commitment to providing the most appropriate stroke treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.
GW Hospital earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke treatments aligned with evidence-based guidelines. Furthermore, GW Hospital achieved the Target: Stroke Elite recognition. In order to achieve this, hospitals must meet quality measures developed to reduce the time between the patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA.
"We are thrilled to see our comprehensive stroke center team recognized for their commitment to providing outstanding patient care that yields notable, positive outcomes," says Kimberly Russo, Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director of GW Hospital. "As an academic medical center, GW Hospital is committed to constantly elevating our care through ongoing investments in technology, education and practice. This award reflects that dedication and I commend the entire team for their ongoing devotion and passion toward saving the lives of those affected by stroke."
Additionally, GW Hospital received the Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet quality measures developed with more than 90 percent of compliance for 12 consecutive months for the "Overall Diabetes Cardiovascular Initiative Composite Score."
"During a stroke, efficient and effective intervention is vital to improving outcomes for a patient. Our comprehensive, multidisciplinary team of experts works together to identify and treat each stroke and support our patients in their unique recoveries," says Henry Kaminski, MD, Chairman of the Department of Neurology at GW Hospital, The GW Medical Faculty Associates and GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. "We look forward to continuing to advance stroke care at GW Hospital as we work toward the addition of our intraoperative MRI (iMRI), which will allow us to once again enhance our care and outcomes."
In addition to this this recent recognition, in July GW Hospital was ranked one of the ‘Best Hospitals’ in the Washington, DC region by U.S. News and World Report for 2020-2021. GW Hospital also remains designated as a Comprehensive Stroke Center by The Joint Commission, the highest level possible.