Eight Baptist Health hospitals have received quality achievement awards from the American Heart Association (AHA) for their stroke care, according to Felipe De Los Rios, M.D., F.A.H.A., medical director of the stroke program at Baptist Health Miami Neuroscience Institute. 

The AHA’s “Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke” awards recognize hospitals for their commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines. This ultimately leads to more lives saved and reduced disability, the AHA says.

The eight Baptist Health hospitals receiving the award are: 

• Baptist Health Baptist Hospital
• Bethesda Hospital-East, part of Baptist Health
• Bethesda Hospital-West, part of Baptist Health
• Boca Raton Regional Hospital, part of Baptist Health
• Baptist Health Fishermen’s Community Hospital
• Baptist Health Mariners Hospital
• Baptist Health South Miami Hospital
• Baptist Health West Kendall Baptist Hospital

With two internationally renowned centers of excellence in brain and spine care – Marcus Neuroscience Institute, established at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, and Miami Neuroscience Institute on the campus of Baptist Hospital – Baptist Health has long been a leader in stroke care.

According to Dr. De Los Rios, Baptist Health is committed to improving advanced patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines, which he says make it easier for stroke teams to put proven knowledge to work on a daily basis.

“Studies show that these guidelines can help patients recover better,” Dr. De Los Rios says. “The goal is to ensure that people who suffer a stroke can experience longer, healthier lives with less disability because of the care they receive here at Baptist Health,” he says.

Time is brain when stroke occurs

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States, the AHA says. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot in what is known as an ischemic stroke, or it bursts, known as a hemorrhagic stroke. 

When either of these occurs, 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,” the AHA emphasizes.

“Being recognized by the AHA is a testament to the incredible work our doctors, nurses and staff do on a daily basis to make sure patients are getting the very best stroke care,” says Brian Snelling, M.D., medical director of the stroke program at Marcus Neuroscience Institute.

When it comes to stroke, time is brain, according to Dr. Snelling. “The sooner one can recognize the signs and symptoms of someone having a stroke, the faster they can be treated so they can receive the appropriate and necessary care needed for a successful outcome,” he says. 

Minimizing stroke’s long-term effects

“Get With The Guidelines – Stroke” is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care that 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. By promoting consistent adherence to these guidelines, hospitals can help minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and prevent death.

 “We are incredibly pleased to recognize Baptist Health for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” says Steven Messe, M.D., chairperson of the Stroke System of Care Advisory Group. “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.”