CAMBRIDGE, Minn. (August 25, 2020) — Cambridge Medical Center (CMC) has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Silver Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.
CMC earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke treatments aligned with the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines aimed at speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. Before discharge, patients also receive education on managing their health, get their follow-up visit scheduled, and other care transition interventions
“Cambridge Medical Center is dedicated to improving the quality of care for our stroke patients by implementing the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines-Stroke initiative,” said hospital president Kelly Spratt. “This award tells the Cambridge area community that we are committed to providing the best care possible at Cambridge Medical Center and that we are always striving to improve patient outcomes.”
Cambridge Medical Center additionally received the Association’s Target: Diabetes Type 2 Honor Roll award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet quality measures with more than 90 percent compliance for 12 consecutive months for the “Overall Diabetes Cardiovascular Initiative Composite Score.”
“We are pleased to recognize Cambridge Medical Center for their commitment to stroke care,” said Lee H. Schwamm, M.D., national chairperson of the Quality Oversight Committee and Executive Vice Chair of Neurology, Director of Acute Stroke Services, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. “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.”
According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. 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.
Cambridge Medical Center, a part of Allina Health, is a regional health care facility providing comprehensive health care services to more than 30,000 residents in Isanti County. The medical center is comprised of a large multi-specialty clinic and an 86-bed hospital located on one large campus. A same day clinic, retail pharmacy and eye care center are also located in the facility.
Allina Health is dedicated to the prevention and treatment of illness and enhancing the greater health of individuals, families and communities throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin. A not-for-profit health care system, Allina Health cares for patients from beginning to end-of-life through its 90+ clinics, 10 hospitals / 13 campuses, 15 retail pharmacies, and many specialty care centers and specialty medical services, home care, and emergency medical transportation services.