Berkshire Medical Center Recognized Nationally for Efforts to Improve Stroke Treatment

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Medical Center (BMC) has received the American Heart Assoc. 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.

Stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the U.S. On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 40 seconds, and nearly 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability, and speeding recovery times.

Get with the Guidelines – Stroke was developed to assist healthcare professionals to provide the most up-to-date, research-based guidelines for treating stroke patients.

“Berkshire Medical Center is honored to be recognized by the American Heart Association for our dedication to helping patients have the best possible chance of survival after a stroke,” said Dr. James Lederer, chief medical officer and chief quality officer for BMC. “Get with the Guidelines – Stroke makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis to improve outcomes for stroke patients.”

Each year, program participants apply for the award recognition by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for stroke patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Berkshire Medical Center also provides education to patients to help them manage their health and rehabilitation once at home.

“We are pleased to recognize Berkshire Medical Center for their commitment to stroke care,” said Dr. Lee Schwamm, national chairperson of the Quality Oversight Committee and executive vice chair of Neurology and director of Acute Stroke Services at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. “Research has shown that hospitals adhering to clinical measures through the Get with the Guidelines quality-improvement initiative can often see fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates.”