Fisher-Titus was recently recognized by the American Heart Association (AHA) with two awards in the AHA’s Get With The Guidelines® program for its commitment to providing high-quality stroke care to the residents of Huron County.
Fisher-Titus has been honored with the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Rural Recognition Silver award for addressing the health disparities faced by rural communities, where residents are at a greater risk for heart disease and stroke-related deaths. Additionally, their dedication to providing stroke patients with top-tier care has earned them the Gold Plus quality achievement award, reflecting their commitment to treatment excellence and improved patient outcomes.
The American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Rural Recognition Silver award recognizes efforts to address the unique health needs of rural communities. People who live in rural communities live an average of three years fewer than urban counterparts and have a 40% higher likelihood of developing heart disease and face a 30% increased risk for stroke mortality — a gap that has grown over the past two decades. Fisher-Titus is committed to changing that.
For efforts to optimize stroke care and eliminate rural health care outcome disparities, Fisher-Titus has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Rural Recognition Silver award.
“As the Stroke Coordinator at Fisher-Titus, receiving the Siver Award for the Rural Stroke Award and the Gold Plus Stroke Award from the American Heart Association is a testament to our team’s dedication to providing high-quality stroke care,” said Karen Daniel RN, Stroke Coordinator at Fisher-Titus. “These recognitions validate our commitment to following evidence-based protocols and improving patient outcomes. For our community, it means access to enhanced care, increased awareness of stroke prevention, and confidence in the healthcare services we provide. We are proud to be at the forefront of stroke care excellence in rural healthcare.”
The award recognizes hospitals for their efforts toward acute stroke care excellence demonstrated by composite score compliance to guideline-directed care for intravenous thrombolytic therapy, timely hospital inter-facility transfer, dysphagia screening, symptom timeline and deficit assessment documentation, emergency medical services communication, brain imaging and stroke expert consultation.
Fisher-Titus has also received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for its 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.
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.
“Fisher-Titus is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said Dr. Brent Burkey, President & CEO of Fisher-Titus. “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 Huron County can experience longer, healthier lives.”
Fisher-Titus also received the American Heart Association’s Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll 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.
Fisher-Titus 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, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke.
About Fisher-Titus
Fisher-Titus is a non-profit health system serving Huron County and the surrounding communities. Fisher-Titus operates a 99-bed acute care hospital; Norwalk Memorial Home, a 69-bed skilled nursing facility; Carriage House, a 48-unit assisted living facility; a Home Health Center, emergency transport through North Central EMS; and an employed primary and specialty care physician group.
Established in 1917, Fisher-Titus provides comprehensive medical services, including cardiovascular; oncology; neurological; orthopedic; women and children’s services, including a birthing center and pediatric care; surgical services, including robotic-assisted; and emergency services with a dedicated Primary Stroke Center and a verified Level III Trauma Center.
For more information about Fisher-Titus, visit www.fishertitus.org.
About Get With The Guidelines®
Get With The Guidelines® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 14 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.
