Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital awarded stroke care quality achievement recognition

HOUSTON, June 3, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's Get With the Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite.

Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. The award recognizes Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital's commitment to providing stroke patients with the most appropriate stroke treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence. This is the first year, Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital has achieved stroke honor roll elite status. In 2015, the hospital was honored with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's Get With the Guidelines - Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award with Target: Stroke Honor Roll.

To qualify for the Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite, Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital met quality measures developed to reduce the time between the patient's arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, the only clot busting therapy approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat ischemic stroke. If given intravenously in the first three hours after the start of stroke symptoms, tPA has been shown to significantly reduce the effects of stroke and lessen the chance of permanent disability.

"Time is brain and the sooner someone with stroke symptoms gets emergency care, the better the chance of a successful recovery," said Barbara Quandt, RN, MSN, NE-BC, nursing director and stroke program coordinator at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital.

Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital has also met specific scientific guidelines as a DNV-GL-accredited Primary Stroke Center, featuring a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department.

In January 2016, Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital opened a new 36-bed neurological patient care unit located on the sixth floor in the hospital's North Pavilion. Dr. Kasey Gildersleeve, a general neurologist fellowship trained in vascular neurology, is the medical director of the Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital Stroke Center. The unit is staffed by a team of stroke care specialists including a Stroke Certified Registered Nurse.

The neurological unit features a universal bed architecture with open nursing stations, allowing patient rooms to be visible at all times. The innovative architectural design allows flexibility in how patient beds are designated, based on the need for more medical-surgical or critical care beds in the hospital. The rooms have been constructed and equipped to be easily converted based on community need. Other key features include advanced monitoring capabilities, room service on demand, bright lighting to enhance the environment and more spacious patient rooms.

For more about Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital, visit houstonmethodist.org/willowbrook or call 281.737.2500.

About Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital
Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital is a 312 bed, not-for-profit, faith-based hospital, which is part of Houston Methodist. The hospital has expanded in Northwest Houston to serve the comprehensive health care needs of the growing community.

Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital has been named a Magnet recognized health care facility by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program^®.

Houston Methodist Willowbrook is ranked No. 4 in the Houston metro area and No. 8 in Texas by U.S. News & World Report as a "Best Hospital" in 2015. 

Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital is a regional referral center specializing in cardiology and cardiovascular services, neurology, neurosurgery, orthopedics and sports medicine, and comprehensive cancer services. Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital has a Breast Care Center, Cancer Center, Imaging Center, Infusion Center Sleep Center, Surgical Weight Loss Center and operates the largest Childbirth Center in the Greater Northwest Houston area.

For more information on the comprehensive services available on the Houston Methodist Willowbrook campus and to learn about upcoming events, please visit houstonmethodist.org/willowbrook To find a physician, call 281.737.2500.

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SOURCE Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital

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