Kennestone Receives Stroke Performance Award

The stroke program has received  the 2011 American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) Get With the Guidelines—Gold Plus Performance Achievement Award with Target Stroke designation. 

WellStar Kennestone Hospital is one of only seven hospitals in Georgia to have been designated as an AHA/ASA Target Stroke facility. This designation means that 50 percent, or more, of patients who receive thrombolytic therapy, receive it in less than 60 minutes.

“This award recognizes the hard work and dedication of the talented team working within the Stroke Program,” said Susan Zimmermann, Stroke Best Practice Nurse for WellStar Kennestone Hospital, in a press release. “WellStar Kennestone is extremely proud of this award and the positive impact it has made for our stroke patients and the community we serve.”

The Gold Plus Performance Award is a tribute to the efforts of this inter-disciplinary team, which is comprised of physicians and team members from the emergency department, neurology, radiology, Lab, 3 West ICU/IMCU, 7 West Neuro, pharmacy, rehabilitation services and emergency medical service providers.

The AHA/ASA Get with the Guidelines—Target: Stroke campaign was created to help hospital teams achieve the goal of door-to-needle times of 60 minutes or less for ischemic stroke patients who receive thrombolytic therapy (t-PA), by providing evidence-based strategies, clinical decision support, measurement tools and other resources.