Osceola Hospital is nationally recognized for its commitment to providing high-quality stroke care
Kissimmee, FL — HCA Florida Osceola Hospital and its certified comprehensive stroke center have received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.
“HCA Florida Osceola Hospital is committed to providing the highest quality patient care in the region by adhering to the latest stroke treatment guidelines,” said David Shimp, chief executive officer of HCA Florida Osceola Hospital. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put evidence-based guidelines to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help patients recover better. The end goal is to ensure more people in Osceola, Orange and Polk counties live longer, healthier lives.”
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.
“We are incredibly pleased to recognize HCA Florida Osceola Hospital for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Steven Messe, MD, volunteer chair of the American Heart Association 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.”
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.
HCA Florida Osceola Hospital also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with thrombolytic therapy.
In addition, HCA Florida Osceola Hospital received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll award. Target: Type 2 Diabetes 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.
As a certified comprehensive stroke center, the hospital also meets specific scientific guidelines, featuring a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department.