Mary Washington Hospital Primary Stroke Center Earns National Recognition for Efforts to Improve Stroke Treatment

American Heart Association Award recognizes Mary Washington Hospital’s commitment to quality stroke patient care.

Fredericksburg, VA, (August 2, 2022) - Mary Washington Hospital’s Primary Stroke Center has received the American Heart Association’s Gold Plus Get with the Guidelines^®–Stroke Quality Achievement Award for commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines.

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.

The Primary Stroke Center at Mary Washington Hospital is dedicated to helping patients have the best possible chance of survival after a stroke and is honored to be recognized by the American Heart Association,” said Arun Chhabra, MD, Medical Director and Staff Neurologist, Mary Washington Hospital Primary Stroke Center. “Get with the Guidelines–Stroke makes it easier for our teams to improve outcomes for stroke patients by putting proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis.”

Mary Washington Hospital has also met specific scientific guidelines as a Primary Stroke Center, featuring a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Mary Washington Hospital also provides education to patients to help them manage their health and rehabilitation once at home.

“We are incredibly pleased to recognize Mary Washington Hospital’s Primary Stroke 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.”

Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. 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. View a video about the stroke chain of survival and another about a young stroke survivor who volunteers at MWH.

Mary Washington Hospital additionally received the Association’s Target: Stroke^SM Honor Roll award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet quality measures developed to reduce the time between the patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat ischemic stroke. For more information visit Stroke.mwhc.com.

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About Mary Washington Healthcare:

Mary Washington Healthcare is a fully integrated, regional medical system that provides inpatient and outpatient care through over 50 facilities including Mary Washington Hospital, a 471-bed regional medical center, and Stafford Hospital, a 100-bed community hospital. Mary Washington Healthcare is a non-profit health system with a longstanding commitment to provide care regardless of ability to pay. For more information about our services and facilities, visit mwhc.com.

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.