VALHALLA, N.Y. (August 23, 2024) – Four hospitals within the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth) have once again been recognized for excellence in stroke care by national associations.
WMCHealth’s Westchester Medical Center, Good Samaritan Hospital, MidHudson Regional Hospital, and HealthAlliance Hospital have all received the prestigious 2024 Get with the Guidelines® Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. These accolades highlight WMCHealth’s unwavering commitment to providing stroke patients with the most effective treatments based on nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately saving more lives and reducing disability.
Additionally, Westchester Medical Center, MidHudson Regional Hospital, and HealthAlliance Hospital received the Target: StrokeSM Elite Honor Roll award, while Good Samaritan Hospital earned the Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll award. These honors are awarded to hospitals that meet specific criteria to reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with thrombolytic therapy.
Furthermore, all four hospitals received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll award, recognizing their efforts to provide up-to-date, evidence-based care for stroke patients with Type 2 diabetes, who are at higher risk for complications.
Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and a major cause of disability in the United States. It occurs when a blood vessel carrying oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts, causing brain cells to die. Early detection and treatment are crucial for improving survival, minimizing disability, and accelerating recovery times.
“We are immensely proud to receive Get with the Guidelines® Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Awards for 2024,” said Ji Chong, MD, a vascular neurologist and Director of Stroke at Westchester Medical Center. “This recognition is a testament to our unwavering commitment to providing the highest standard of stroke care. Our dedicated team of stroke care experts continuously strive to implement the latest research-based guidelines to improve patient outcomes. These awards underscore our efforts to save lives and reduce disability through prompt and effective stroke treatment.”
Investing in Stroke Care at MidHudson Regional Hospital
MidHudson Regional Hospital has been honored with the Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award thanks to WMCHealth’s significant investment in the hospital’s stroke care services. This investment has enabled MidHudson Regional Hospital to achieve the designation of a Thrombectomy-Capable Primary Stroke Center.
Thrombectomy is an advanced, potentially lifesaving procedure used in emergent stroke care. This minimally invasive technique, performed by skilled endovascular neurosurgeons, removes blockages in large brain arteries, restoring blood flow and preventing permanent damage.
Leading the Way in Stroke Care
WMCHealth is a premier provider of stroke care services. In addition to MidHudson Regional Hospital’s designation as a Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center, WMCHealth’s Westchester Medical Center is certified by New York State as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, representing the most advanced stroke treatment available in the region. WMCHealth’s Good Samaritan Hospital and HealthAlliance Hospital are designated as Primary Stroke Centers by the New York State Department of Health.
WMCHealth offers neuroendovascular and other neurointerventional services around the clock, along with 24/7 neurocritical care, neurosurgery, and vascular neurology.
Additionally, WMCHealth serves as a community resource for stroke education and prevention. With a long-term Academic Affiliation Agreement with New York Medical College, WMCHealth hosts professional, stroke-centric learning events for clinical specialists and is actively involved in community stroke education.
For more information, community members and providers are encouraged to visit the WMCHealth website or call 914.449.4880 to request an appointment or refer a patient.
About Westchester Medical Center Health Network
The Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth) is a 1,700-bed healthcare system headquartered in Valhalla, New York, with nine hospitals on seven campuses spanning 6,200 square miles of the Hudson Valley. WMCHealth employs more than 12,000 people and has nearly 3,000 attending physicians. The Network has Level I (adult and pediatric), Level II and Level III trauma centers, the region’s only acute care children’s hospital, an academic medical center, several community hospitals, dozens of specialized institutes and centers, Comprehensive and Primary Stroke Centers, skilled nursing facilities, home-care services and one of the largest mental health systems in New York State. Today, WMCHealth is the pre-eminent provider of integrated health care in the Hudson Valley. For more information about WMCHealth, visit WMCHealth.org or follow WMCHealth on Facebook.com/WMCHealth or Instagram.com/WMCHealth.