Bassett Medical Center has received the American Heart Association (AHA) American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Achievement Award. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines using the latest scientific evidence.

Bassett earned the Stroke Gold Plus Achievement Award by reaching an aggressive goal of treating patients with 85 percent or higher compliance to core standard levels of care as outlined by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association® for two consecutive calendar years. In addition, the hospital demonstrated 75 percent compliance with seven out of 10 stroke quality measures during the 12-month period.

Bassett’s Chief of Neurology, Dr. Paul Deringer, says, “This recognition by the AHA underscores our continued commitment to implementing a higher standard of stroke care. Time plays a vital role in the life of a stroke patient; minutes can mean the difference between life and death. Bassett has a comprehensive system in place for the rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients that includes diagnostic imaging, having specialists available to evaluate patients and using clot-busting medications when appropriate.”

Jo-Ann Vass, stroke coordinator for Bassett Medical Center, is responsible for community education related to stroke awareness. She notes, “Studies show patients can recover better when they get treatment quickly and when the AHA guidelines are consistently followed. The care our patients receive is our number one priority, and what really gets us excited is seeing the lives we’re impacting.”

“We are pleased to recognize Bassett Medical Center for their commitment to stroke care,” said Lee H. Schwamm, M.D., national chairperson of the Quality Oversight Committee and Executive Vice Chair of Neurology, Director of Acute Stroke Services, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. “Research has shown that hospitals adhering to clinical measures through the Get With The Guidelines quality improvement initiative can often see fewer re-admissions and lower mortality rates.”

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.

About Bassett Healthcare Network

Bassett Healthcare Network is an integrated health system that provides care and services to people living in a 5,600 square mile region in upstate New York. The organization includes five hospitals, over two dozen community-based health centers, 20 school-based health centers, two skilled nursing facilities, and other health partners in related fields. Bassett Medical Center, the foundation of the network, is a 180-bed acute care inpatient teaching hospital located in Cooperstown, NY. To learn more about services available throughout the Bassett Healthcare Network, visit www.bassett.org. Follow Bassett on Facebook and Twitter at Facebook.com/Bassett.Network and twitter.com/BassettNetwork.

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