SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Gold Plus quality achievement award for Demonstrating commitment to following up to date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of stroke, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times, and fewer readmissions to the hospital.

St. Agnes Hospital also received a Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll designation, which aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke.

Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States. 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. As a participant in Get With The Guidelines programs, SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital qualified by demonstrating how its team has committed to improving quality care.

“SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines and streamlining processes to ensure timely and proper care for strokes,” according to Stacey Sesing, BSN, RN, SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital Stroke and Inpatient Rehabilitation program coordinator. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which helps us ensure more people in the greater Fond du Lac area experience longer, healthier lives.”

Get With The Guidelines have touched the lives of more than 14 million patients since 2001.

“These awards show SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital’s commitment to caring for those in need in their community who need stroke care,” according to Donald Lloyd-Jones, past volunteer president of the American Heart Association and current volunteer chair of the Association’s Quality Oversight Committee. “By following the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols, SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital can help realize our shared vision of improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions, and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, facilities and communities.”

About Get With The Guidelines®
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 14 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.