Cedars-Sinai Receives Award From American Stroke Association For Stroke Patient Care

Los Angeles - May 25, 2006 - Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, and a major cause of long-term disability. According to the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, many hospitals have opportunities to improve how they apply nationally accepted guidelines and protocols to ensure timely treatment, effective patient education, and appropriate discharge practices for stroke patients.

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center today received one of the American Stroke Association’s top awards – “Get With the Guidelines (GWTG) – Stroke Initial Performance Achievement Award” – in recognition of its efficient approach to delivering rapid, high quality care to stroke patients.
 
“When a patient suffers a stroke, rapid treatment is essential to minimize potential brain damage,” said Michael Waters, MD, director of the Stroke Program at Cedars-Sinai. “This award reflects our success at providing quality care to stroke patients in an efficient, team-based manner.”

In presenting the award, the American Stroke Association recognized several features of Cedars-Sinai’s program, including the following:

• 24/7 patient access to patient evaluation by a neurologist who can expedite imaging examinations;
• Rapid evaluation of the appropriateness of applying blood thinning and clot-busting therapy, with extensive follow-up afterward; and
• Patient education while still in the hospital, which may help to reduce the patient’s risk of a second heart attack.

Lee Schwamm, M.D., an American Stroke Association GWTG Steering Committee member, said: “We commend Cedars-Sinai for its success at implementing national protocols and standards for stroke patient care.”