Va puget sound nationally recognized for its commitment to providing high-quality stroke care for third consecutive year | va puget sound health care | veterans affairs

Seattle , WA — For the third year in a row, VA Puget Sound Health Care System received the American Heart Association Association’s Get With The Guidelines® Target: Stroke Gold Plus and

Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll quality achievement awards. These awards recognize its commitment and success in implementing a high standard of stroke care by ensuring stroke patients

receive the most appropriate treatment according to the latest nationally recognized, evidence-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence. “We are incredibly pleased to

recognize VA Puget Sound Health Care System for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Stroke System of Care Advisory Group Chairperson Steven Messe, M.D. “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.” Receiving the

quality achievement award underscores VA Puget Sound’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based

guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability. 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. 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. “At VA Puget Sound we are committed to helping our Veterans experience longer, healthier lives,” said VA Puget Sound Neurology and Stroke Coordinator Maria Kimmerle. “Our

continued recognition by the American Heart Association is further proof of our commitment to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines. And Get With The

Guidelines makes it easier for our care teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work daily to help our Veterans recover.” Each year, program participants qualify for the award by

demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for stroke patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also

educate patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home. ABOUT VA PUGET SOUND HEALTH CARE SYSTEM: VA Puget Sound provides comprehensive care to approximately 156,000 Veterans

across the Pacific Northwest—approximately 120,000 are enrolled with a primary care team at one of its 10 care sites: two main campuses (American Lake and Seattle), six outpatient clinics

(Edmonds, Mount Vernon, Olympia, Port Angeles, Puyallup and Silverdale) and two Community Resource & Referral Centers (Georgetown in Seattle and Renton). As the VA’s 4th largest research

program, VA Puget Sound has research in virtually every major clinical department, including: TBI and multiple blast exposures; memory improvement and Alzheimer's Disease; PTSD and

deployment health; Parkinson’s Disease; diabetes; cancer; substance abuse; lower limb prosthetics; genomics; and Health Services. Additionally, it has seven nationally recognized Centers of

Excellence (in areas from limb-loss prevention and prosthetic engineering to primary care education and substance abuse treatment). For more information visit 

www.va.gov/puget-sound-health-care or call 800-329-8387.  For Veterans in Crisis, please use the Veterans Crisis line at 800-273-8255 (press 1). 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.