The American Heart Association presents Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus award for proven dedication to ensuring all stroke patients have access to best practices and life-saving care

Delray Beach, FL— Delray Medical Center has received the American Heart Association’s Gold Plus Get with the Guidelines® - Stroke 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 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.

“Delray Medical Center is a leader in Palm Beach County when it comes to stroke care, and the team is committed to improving patient outcomes by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said Palm Beach Health Network and Delray Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Maggie Gill. “Get With The Guidelines helps our team put proven knowledge and strategies to work on a daily basis, using evidence-based practices to help patients recover better and live longer, healthier lives.  We are so proud of the collaboration between our physicians, staff and EMS teams to achieve this level of excellence in stroke care for our patients.”

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 Delray Medical Center for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Steven Messe, M.D., chairperson of the Stroke System of Care Advisory Group. “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.”

Delray Medical Center also received the American Heart Association’s Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll Elite Plus 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 the clot-buster alteplase. 

In addition, Delray Medical Center received the American Heart Association’s Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll Advanced Therapy award by meeting specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment to remove the clot causing the stroke. 

Delray Medical Center also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Honor Roll award. Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims to ensure patients with this condition, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke. 

Delray Medical Center is also one of the few hospitals in Palm Beach County to meet specific scientific guidelines as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, the most demanding stroke accreditation. The hospital has specific capabilities to receive and treat the most complex cases with a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department.