Laredo Medical Center is Nationally Recognized for its Commitment to Providing High-Quality Stroke Care

8/16/2024

Laredo, Texas, August 16, 2024 — Laredo Medical Center has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Bronze 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.

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.

Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research- and evidence-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines - Stroke is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death.

“Laredo Medical Center is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” says Jorge Leal, FACHE, chief executive officer. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help patients recover better. The end goal is to ensure more people in the Laredo-Webb County 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 Laredo Medical Center 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.”

Laredo Medical Center also is recognized by the Texas Department of State Health Services as a Level III trauma center with the ability to provide high-quality trauma care in a timely manner. Additionally, Laredo Medical Center is an Accredited Chest Pain Center Level v7 with Primary PCI (Percutaneous Coronary Interventions) to diagnose and care for people with heart attack symptoms, and recently achieved recertification for The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval© for Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers. The certification confirms that Laredo Medical Center provides life-saving medications and treatment to stroke patients at a time when every second counts.

For more information, contact the Laredo Medical Center Marketing and Business Development Office at (956) 796-3223.

Back