National stroke care recognition for TidalHealth Nanticoke

TidalHealth Nanticoke has received the American Heart Association’s 2023 Get With The Guidelines^® - Stroke GoldPlus quality achievement award for its 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.

The Seaford, Del. hospital also received the 2023 American Heart Association’s Target: Stroke^SM Honor Roll/Target: Stroke^SM Elite award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster alteplase. 

Additionally, TidalHealth Nanticoke’s team was also presented with the 2023 American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Honor Roll award. Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke.

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.

“These three significant recognitions validate that TidalHealth Nanticoke is committed to improving patient care on the Delmarva Peninsula by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said Warner Crumb, Executive Director of Orthopedics and Neurosciences at TidalHealth. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work each day, which studies show can help patients recover better. The end goal is to ensure more people in our region can experience longer, healthier lives.”

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.

“We are incredibly pleased to recognize TidalHealth Nanticoke for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Steven Messe, M.D., Volunteer Chairperson of the American Heart Association Stroke System of Care Advisory Group and professor of neurology and director of fellowships of neurology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. “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.”