Independence Health System’s Butler Memorial Hospital is Recognized For Its Commitment to Providing High-Quality Stroke Care

Independence Health System Butler Memorial Hospital has once again received the American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award, demonstrating its commitment to ensuring patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.

To receive this recognition, hospitals must demonstrate adherence to specific quality achievement measures for stroke care, as outlined by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. Independence Health System Butler Memorial Hospital has consistently met these standards for the past 15 years, earning its first Get With The Guidelines Gold Plus quality stroke achievement award in 2009.

Independence Health System Butler Memorial Hospital treats more than 300 stroke patients annually and is recognized by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) as a certified Primary Stroke Center. Independence Health System Frick, Latrobe and Westmoreland hospitals also received the American Health Association Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award, demonstrating the System’s commitment to providing expert stroke care across its network. Annually, the System treats more than 1,000 patients for stroke.

“Independence Health System is again honored by this recognition by Butler Memorial Hospital,” said Carol Fox, MD, Chief Medical Officer of the System. “This is a testament to our unwavering commitment to delivering exemplary stroke care. We are proud of the care team’s dedication and tireless efforts to consistently work together to improve patient outcomes and provide compassionate care to our community.”

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.

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.

“We are incredibly pleased to recognize Independence Health System Butler Memorial Hospital for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Steven Messe, M.D., volunteer chairperson of the American Heart Association Stroke System of Care Advisory Group and professor of neurology and director of fellowships of neurology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. “Participation in Get With The Guidelines is associated with improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities.”

Independence Health System Butler Memorial Hospital was also recognized with the American Heart Association’s Target:Stroke™ and the Target:Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll awards for adhering to best practices in administering timely clot-reducing therapy and caring for diabetic patients at higher risk of complications during a stroke.

Nationally recognized for quality care, Independence Health System comprises Butler Memorial, Clarion, Frick, Latrobe and Westmoreland Hospitals with a combined bed count of 925. With more than 1,000 physicians and advanced practice providers and 7,300 employees, the System is the third largest in western Pennsylvania serving a population base of 750,000 in a footprint spanning more than 10 counties.