All three Southcoast Health hospitals recognized for advanced stroke care

FALL RIVER, NEW BEDFORD, and WAREHAM Mass. – Charlton Memorial, St. Luke’s and Tobey Hospitals all earned recognition with the American Heart Association’s Get with the Guidelines 2022 Awards, officials announced today.

St. Luke’s and Tobey were named recipients of the Get with The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award with Target: Stroke℠ Honor Roll Elite, while Charlton Memorial earned Silver Plus Quality Achievement Award with Target: Stroke℠ Honor Roll Elite designation.

“We are honored to be recognized by the American Heart Association, verifying our commitment to providing excellent stroke care in the region,” said Ray Kruger, MD, President and CEO of Southcoast Health. “I would also like to thank the outstanding clinical teams at all three Southcoast Health hospitals for their work toward achieving these remarkable goals.”

Hospitals receiving the Get with the Guidelines Gold Plus Achievement Award have reached a goal of treating patients with an 85 percent or higher compliance to core standard levels of care as outlined by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association for 2 consecutive calendar years. In addition, these hospitals have demonstrated 75 percent compliance (four out of ten heart failure quality measures or four out of seven stroke quality measures) during the 12-month period.

Further displaying exceptional care, St. Luke’s Hospital and Tobey Hospital earned recognition from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health with awards from the Paul Coverdell Stroke Systems of Care Collaborative.

Both hospitals earned the Modified Rankin Scale Award, reflecting documentation of the Modified Rankin Scale at discharge for at least 95 percent of admitted stroke patients. St. Luke’s was additionally recognized for Achieving Door to CT award for completing door to CT processes in less than or equal to 25 minutes from arrival for at least 75 percent of stroke patients.

“When someone experiences a stroke, proving treatment quickly is critical for optimal patient outcomes,” said Daniel Sacchetti, DO, Stroke Director at Southcoast Health. “Receiving these significant awards demonstrates Southcoast Health’s commitment to delivering high-quality stroke care to our patients close to home. I am tremendously proud of the entire Southcoast team of physicians, providers, nurses and staff who provide top-notch stroke care every day at our hospitals.”

According to the CDC, stroke is a leading cause of death and adult disability in the United States. Learning the warning signs and symptoms of a stroke can help individuals identify if someone is experiencing a stroke and get them the medical attention they need in an emergency.