Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) has 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 based on the latest scientific evidence.
Pikeville Medical Center 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 the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. Before discharge, patients should also receive education on managing their health, get a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as other care transition interventions.
“Because of God’s grace and the goals set up by our departments, we are able to achieve this award year after year,” said Primary Stroke Program Medical Director, Dr. Naveed Ahmed. “PMC is a one-stop-shop for stroke care. Patients come here from other places because we have all the specialists and stroke care, including rehabilitation, under one roof.”
“This recognition is huge for the people of this region. For the 450,000 people that PMC service, that call us their medical facility, this speaks volumes,” said Chief Executive Officer Donovan Blackburn. “We have made great investments in our specialty lines at PMC and we are humbled that we are able to deliver this quality of care to the people of this region.”
PMC additionally received the association’s Target: Stroke Honor Elite award. To qualify for this recognition, 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 the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat ischemic stroke.
“It takes a highly gifted and skilled team to improve stroke care here at PMC,” said Cynthia Keely, Quality System Improvement Director for American Heart Association. “This award is not only a celebration of the hospital, this is a celebration for your patients who are receiving this excellent care and have a higher quality of life because of what you all do.”
According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 40 seconds and nearly 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.
Dr. Ahmed is located on the 8th floor of the clinic building. To schedule an appointment, call 606-430-2208.
