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St. Luke’s University Health Network (SLUHN) has been honored by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association for its exceptional work in stroke care by earning numerous 2022 Get with The Guidelines (GWTG) awards.

The GWTG awards recognize SLUHN’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.

“These awards recognize the high-quality stroke care each hospital provides for its community,” says Daniel Ackerman, MD, FAAN, Vice Chair, Department of Neurology, Director of Stroke and Vascular Neurology at St. Luke’s University Health Network.

“Across St. Luke’s University Health Network, each of our facilities – from our largest and busiest hospitals to our local community hospitals – is committed to providing expert stroke care to every patient, every time.”

St. Luke’s hospitals honored with 2022 GWTG stroke awards are:

• St. Luke’s Allentown Campus – Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• St. Luke’s Anderson Campus – Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• St. Luke’s University Hospital - Bethlehem – Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite, Advanced Therapy and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• St. Luke’s Easton Campus – Stroke Silver Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• Geisinger St. Luke’s Hospital – Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• St. Luke’s Miners Campus – Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• St. Luke’s Monroe Campus – Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• St. Luke’s Sacred Heart Campus – Stroke Silver Plus
• St. Luke’s Upper Bucks Campus – Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• St. Luke’s Warren Campus – Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll

St. Luke’s earned the awards by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke treatments aligned with the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients.

Following is an explanation of the 2022 GWTG award recognition earned by SLUHN hospitals:

• Stroke Gold Plus – Hospitals are recognized for two or more consecutive calendar years of 85% or higher adherence on all achievement measures applicable and 75% or higher adherence with additional select quality measures in stroke.
• Stroke Silver Plus – Hospitals are recognized for one calendar year of 85% or higher adherence on all achievement measures applicable and 75% or higher adherence with additional select quality measures in stroke.
• Target: Stroke Honor Roll – Hospitals are recognized for 75% of applicable patients experiencing door-to-needle times of 60 minutes or less.
• Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite – Hospitals are recognized for 85% of applicable patients experiencing door-to-needle times of 60 minutes or less.
• Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus – Hospitals are recognized for 75% of applicable patients experiencing door-to-needle times of 45 minutes or less and 50% of applicable patients experiencing door-to-needle times of 30 minutes or less. 
• Target: Stroke Honor Roll Advanced Therapy – Hospitals are recognized for 50% of applicable patients experiencing door-to-device times of 90 minutes or less for direct-arriving patients and 60 minutes or less for transfer patients (within six hours or 24 hours).
• Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll – Hospitals are recognized for an overall diabetes cardiovascular initiative composite score criteria greater than or equal to 80% compliance for 12 consecutive months (calendar year).

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or ruptures. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die.

According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 40 seconds and nearly 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.

“Stroke care is a complicated process and requires a team approach because every second matters,” explains Dr. Ackerman.

“Since stroke care starts at home when families or friends recognize symptoms, St. Luke’s takes every opportunity to provide community education. We have also forged strong partnerships with our local EMS and first responders, who are often the first medical personnel who see a patient and can begin appropriate care. At St. Luke’s hospitals, everyone is involved, from emergency department providers to the nursing staff, our radiology technologists and physicians, and our amazing registrars. They are all integral parts of providing the kind of rapid and coordinated effort that has continually earned us top honors as a stroke team.”

For more information about St. Luke’s award-winning stroke care, visit www.sluhn.org/neuro.