YRMC wins Stroke Award for sustaining excellent care

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Yuma Regional Medical Center (YRMC) has received the American Heart Association’s Stroke Silver Plus Get with the Guidelines quality achievement award.

In a press release, the award was a result of the hospital's commitment to treating stroke patients with the most appropriate treatment based on the research-based guidelines that are nationally recognized.

This award marks the fourth straight year the hospital has been awarded for its excellent stroke treatment by the American Heart Association.

“This ongoing achievement shows our community we are sustaining our commitment to provide the swift, research-based interventions stroke patients need,” says Deb Aders, Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Care.

Currently, stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and disability in the United States. 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.

To ensure survival and accelerate recovery times, early stroke detection and treatment are the keys.

Additionally, YRMC received the American Heart Association’s Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite award, where they treat patients with an alteplase infusion, tPA, as it is crucial in preventing any more strokes.

On average, YRMC has been infusing alteplase into their patients who meet the criteria in less than 60 minutes of their arrival. However, the YRMC team has shortened that time in the last two years, with the new door-to-infusion time being 45 minutes.

“That’s very fast for diagnosing a stroke, determining the kind of stroke they are having, making a clinical judgment about the patient’s odds of benefiting from tPA, and getting the IV flowing. In stroke care, speed is vital,” Dr. Bharat Magu, YRMC’s Chief Medical Officer speaks.