Baystate Health Nationally Recognized for Excellence in Stroke Care

SPRINGFIELD — Baystate Health has received four American Heart Assoc. Get with the Guidelines achievement awards for its commitment to ensuring people experiencing stroke receive timely, appropriate treatment based on nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately helping to save lives and reduce disability.

Stroke is the fourth-leading cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S., according to the American Heart Assoc. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel supplying the brain is blocked by a clot or ruptures, preventing blood and oxygen from reaching brain tissue. When this happens, brain cells begin to die. Early detection and rapid treatment are critical to improving survival, minimizing disability and supporting faster recovery.

Get with the Guidelines brings the expertise of the American Heart Assoc. and American Stroke Assoc. into 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 designed to improve stroke care through consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize long-term effects of stroke and help prevent death.

“Baystate Health is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said Dr. Rajiv Padmanabhan, Stroke director for Baystate Health. “Get with the Guidelines helps our teams put proven science into practice every day. Research shows this approach can support better recovery, with the ultimate goal of helping people in Western Massachusetts live longer, healthier lives.

“We deliver compassionate, quality, and accessible care, recognizing that, with stroke, every second counts,” Padmanabhan added. “Alongside acute stroke care, Baystate Health provides stroke continuity clinics to enhance outcomes and prevention and takes part in community education initiatives to promote faster stroke recognition.”

Among Baystate Health’s four awards this year, Baystate Medical Center received the Get with the Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll; Baystate Wing Hospital received the Get with the Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll; Baystate Noble Hospital received the Get with the Guidelines – Stroke Silver Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor; and Baystate Franklin Medical Center received the Get with the Guidelines – Rural Stroke Bronze.

“We are proud to recognize Baystate Health for its commitment to caring for people experiencing stroke,” said Dr. Steven Messe, volunteer chair of the American Heart Assoc. Stroke System of Care advisory group. “Participation in Get with the Guidelines is associated with improved patient outcomes, including greater likelihood of being discharged home, fewer readmissions, and lower mortality rates — a meaningful benefit for healthcare systems, families, and communities.”