HICKORY, NC – August 20, 2015 — Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) has been named a recipient
of the Women’s Choice Award as one of America’s Best Stroke
Centers. According to the American Heart Association (AHA) and American
Stroke Association (ASA), stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in
the U.S. and the leading cause of adult disability. Every 40 seconds,
someone will suffer a stroke, resulting in more than 795,000 affected
annually, with more than 137,000 deaths. According to the AHA, 1 in 3
women will die of heart disease or stroke.
“Our CVMC stroke team works hard to detect strokes early and provide
interventional treatments to minimize what can be extremely devastating
effects,” said Neurologist Dr. Robert Yapundich, the current Medical
Director of CVMC’s Stroke Team. “This credential signifies
a strong commitment to providing extraordinary healthcare and is based
on publicly available evidence-based data as well as statistics that articulate
what women consider important when making decisions for themselves and
their families.”
The Primary Stroke Center Certification recognizes centers that meet high
standards for stroke care as determined by the Joint Commission. To receive
advanced certification, Stroke Centers must meet disease-specific requirements,
clinically specific requirements and expectations including:
- Using a standardized method of delivering care
- Supporting patient self-management activities
- Tailoring treatment and intervention to individual needs
- Promoting the flow of patient information across settings and providers,
while protecting patient rights, security and privacy
- Analyzing and using standardized performance measure data to continually
improve treatment plans
-
Demonstrating their application of and compliance with clinical practice
guidelines published by the
AHA/ASAor equivalent evidence-based guidelines
“By adhering to this very specific set of treatment guidelines CVMC
has clearly made it a priority to deliver high quality care to all patients
affected by stroke,” states, Nancy Brown, CEO AHA/ASA.
The Women’s Choice Award seal is the only credential that integrates
clinical excellence (CMS) and consumer experience to provide women, the
family’s “Chief Health Officers,” the ability to make
the best healthcare decisions for their families.