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. McLeod Health Clarendon is committed to changing that.
For efforts to optimize stroke care and eliminate rural health care outcome disparities, McLeod Health Clarendon has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Rural Recognition Bronze award.
The American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on
heart and brain health for all, recognizes the importance of health care services provided to people living in rural areas by rural hospitals that play a vital role in initiation of timely evidence-based care. For that reason, all rural hospitals participating in Get With The Guidelines ® - Stroke are eligible to receive award recognition based on a unique methodology focused on early acute stroke performance metrics.
“We are proud that our team at McLeod Health Clarendon is being recognized for the important work we do every day to improve the lives of people in Clarendon County and surrounding communities who are affected by stroke, giving them the best possible chance of recovery and survival,” said Dr. William Sabina, McLeod Health Clarendon Emergency Department Medical Director. “We’ve made it a goal to make sure those hurdles do not affect the standard of care our stoke patients receive.
“Rural communities deserve high quality stroke care. I’m proud of our team for their commitment to stroke care excellence and this achievement.”
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.
The DNV Acute Stroke Ready (ASR) Certification is derived from evidenced-based standards set forth by the Brain Attack Coalition and the American Stroke Association, and affirms that McLeod Health Clarendon addresses the initial diagnosis, initial treatment and when necessary, facilitates quick transfer to a specialized stroke center with a higher spectrum of stroke care.
“Achieving certification shows a commitment to excellence,” says Kelly Proctor, President of DNV Healthcare USA Inc. “It helps demonstrate to your community that you are providing the highest level of care that this hospital is designed to offer.”
According to the American Stroke Association, stroke is a leading cause of death, killing nearly 130,000 people each year, and is a leading cause of serious, long-term adult disability. Because stroke or “brain attack” effects blood flow to the brain, rapid and effective treatment can save lives and provide the best chance of limiting the extent of long-term damage.
