Penn State Health earns American Heart Association, American Stroke Association honors

Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center, Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute and Penn State Stroke Center have earned national recognition for their commitment to delivering a higher standard of patient care.

For St. Joseph, the recognition notched a milestone. The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association approved St. Joseph Medical Center for the Get With The Guidelines — Stroke Gold Plus with Honor Roll Elite award, which recognizes the hospital’s commitment to ensuring that every stroke patient receives treatment according to nationally accepted recommendations and standards.

“We have been Gold Plus for years, but 2019 was the first year we achieved Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite,” said Wendy Clayton, clinical program coordinator, quality and performance improvement. “It was the result of great work on the part of our Emergency Department, the physicians, the nursing staff and our emergency medical services partners. We improved our processes, but it is really about that collaborative relationship between all key partners.”

Penn State Health Heart and Vascular Institute won Get With The Guidelines — Heart Failure Gold Plus Quality Achievement award and qualified for the Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll. The award recognizes the institute’s “commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care by ensuring that every heart failure patient receives treatment according to nationally accepted recommendations and standards.”

Penn State Stroke Center won the Get With The Guidelines ― Stroke Gold award and qualified for the Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus.

“This signifies that we’ve met American Heart Association/American Stroke Association stringent criteria for consistency in following the most up-to-date treatment guidelines,” said Kathy Morrison, manager of the Penn State Stroke Center. “For our patients, that means they have the best chance for survival and optimal recovery after their stroke.”

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