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New York Methodist Hospital (NYM) was recently named a Get With the Guidelines-Stroke (GWTG-Stroke) Gold Performance Achievement Award winner by the American Stroke Association. The award recognizes the Hospitals commitment and success in implementing a high standard of stroke care.

With a stroke, time lost is brain lost, and the Get With the Guidelines Stroke Gold Performance Achievement Award addresses the important element of time, said Dr. Steven Silber, NYMs vice president for medical affairs. New York Methodist Hospital has developed a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department. This includes always being equipped to provide brain imaging scans, having neurologists available to conduct patient evaluations and using clot-busting medications when appropriate.

The American Stroke Association commends New York Methodist for its success in implementing standards of care and protocols, said Lee H. Schwamm, M.D., vice-chair of the National Get With the Guidelines Steering Committee. The full implementation of acute care and secondary prevention recommendations and guidelines is a critical step in saving the lives and improving outcomes of stroke patients.

The Hospital has also been designated a Stroke Center by the New York State Department of Health. At the Center, physicians who are board certified in emergency medicine and trained in neurological emergencies immediately see patients with stroke symptoms. A state-of-the-art spiral CT scanner produces almost immediate images that provide physicians with information about whether a stroke has occurred and which treatment is best. Following a stroke diagnosis, patients at NYM are treated in a dedicated stroke unit and that treatment can be continued in the Hospitals inpatient rehabilitation unit.

This award from the American Stroke Association recognizes the collective effort between various departments New York Methodist to provide patients with the best possible stroke care, said Miran Salgado, MD, chairman of neurosciences at NYM.