Klamath Falls, July 19, 2024 — Sky Lakes has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke Gold Plus for quality achievement award for ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.
Sky Lakes also 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 receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke.
Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States. 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.
“Sky Lakes is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” Stacey Holmes, Program Manager-Trauma/Stroke. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help patients recover better. The end goal is to ensure more people in our service area can experience longer, healthier lives.”
Program participants qualify for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for stroke patients and following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also educate patients to manage their health and recovery at home.
“We are incredibly pleased to recognize Sky Lakes for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Steven Messe, M.D., volunteer chairperson of the American Heart Association Stroke System of Care Advisory Group and professor of neurology and director of fellowships of neurology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. “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.”
About Sky Lakes Medical Center:
Sky Lakes Medical Center is a community-owned, internationally accredited acute-care hospital licensed for 176 beds. Sky Lakes is among the region’s largest employers. With a commitment to patient-centered care, Sky Lakes delivers a comprehensive range of medical services, ensuring the highest standards of quality and safety for all individuals entrusted to our care.
