The American Heart Association Recognizes East Cooper Medical Center for Its Commitment to Providing High-Quality Stroke Care

The American Heart Association presents Get With The Guidelines - Stroke GoldPlus Award to Hospital

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. — East Cooper Medical Center recently received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke GoldPlus quality achievement award for its commitment to helping ensure stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.

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.

“East Cooper Medical Center is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said Tyler Sherrill, CEO of East Cooper Medical Center. “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 use the latest treatments to help raise the collective health of the communities we serve.”

In addition to the recent Get with the Guidelines recognition, East Cooper is certified by the Joint Commission as an advanced primary stroke center.

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.

“We are incredibly pleased to recognize East Cooper Medical Center 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.”

East Cooper Medical Center also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Honor Roll award. Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims to help 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.