Main Line Health Receives National Recognition from the American Heart Association for its Treatment of Stroke

The Get With The Guidelines® awards have been presented to Lankenau Medical Center, Bryn Mawr Hospital, Paoli Hospital and Riddle Hospital by the American Heart Association for their proven dedication to best practices and life-saving care for the treatment of patients who suffer a stroke.

Bryn Mawr, PA — Main Line Health’s Lankenau Medical Center, Bryn Mawr Hospital, Paoli Hospital and Riddle Hospital have each received the American Heart Association’s in conjunction with the American Stroke Association’s (ASA) Get With The Guidelines® Stroke Quality Achievement Awards for demonstrating their commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of stroke, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospital.

Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke or heart attack. Heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 5 causes of death in the United States, respectively. Studies show patients can recover better with timely treatment options and providers consistently follow treatment guidelines. For patients with conditions that are severe enough to be transported or admitted to a hospital, time is critical.

“Main Line Health is committed to improving care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines and streamlining processes to ensure timely and proper care for our patients who suffer a stroke,” says Jack Lynch, III, FACHE, President and Chief Executive Officer, Main Line Health. “We are honored to be recognized by the American Heart Association for our dedication to helping our patients have the best possible chance of survival and recovery after cardiovascular events. The Get With The Guidelines® programs allow our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis to help more people in our community experience longer, healthier lives. I am incredibly proud of our Main Line Health staff and their commitment to providing the highest quality of care for our patients.”

Get With The Guidelines® Stroke program incorporates the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association for hospitals nationwide, helping to ensure patient care is aligned with the latest evidence- and research-based guidelines. The award recognizes the commitment and success of each hospital’s staff in implementing a higher standard of care by ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment according to nationally accepted guidelines. As a participant in the Get With The Guidelines® programs, Main Line Health qualified for the award by demonstrating its commitment to improving quality care.

Bryn Mawr Hospital received the Get With the Guidelines® Stroke Gold Plus/Target Stroke Honor Roll Elite and Advanced Therapy and Target Diabetes Honor Roll Award and Lankenau Medical Center, Paoli Hospital and Riddle Hospital each received the GWTG Stroke Gold Plus/Target Stroke Elite Honor Roll/Target Diabetes Honor Roll Award.

“This accomplishment is a direct result of our staff’s dedication in helping to improve stroke outcomes for our patients and our community. Our team continues to dedicate themselves to providing safe, compassionate, human care to each individual we see. Congratulations to our teams on once again receiving this achievement,” said Michelle Smith, MD, system division chief of neurosurgery, Main Line Health- Jefferson Neurosurgery. “In the upcoming months, we will continue to expand and enhance our stroke care for the community. We currently perform advanced thrombectomy care at Bryn Mawr Hospital and are opening brand new, state-of-the-art interventional labs at Paoli Hospital which will allow us to do the same for the patients in our western Philadelphia suburbs. Advanced diagnostics, expert team members and cutting-edge technology will allow us to provide world-class stroke care to improve outcomes and patients' quality of life."

“We are pleased to recognize Main Line Health for its commitment to caring for those in their community who need cardiovascular care,” said John Warner, M.D., FAHA, past president of the American Heart Association and executive vice president for health system affairs at UT Southwestern Medical Center, in Dallas. “Hospitals that follow the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols often see improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities.”

About Get With The Guidelines

Get With The Guidelines® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 12 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.