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Published on July 14, 2023

Tidelands Health hospitals earn national recognition for stroke care

Tidelands Health hospitals have again earned national recognition for their commitment to providing high-quality care and treatment for patients experiencing or recovering from a stroke.

Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital and Tidelands Georgetown Memorial Hospital received the American Heart Association’s 2023 Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement awards. The awards recognize the hospitals’ commitment to providing stroke care and treatment that meets nationally accepted, evidence-based guidelines. In addition to following treatment guidelines, the hospitals educate patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home.

“Knowing every second counts when a person is suffering a stroke, our Tidelands Health care team utilizes guidelines and resources, including the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines program, to support high-quality, timely care,” said Samantha Taylor, stroke program coordinator at Tidelands Health. “This recognition is a testament to our efforts and a reminder to patients that our medical professionals adhere to stroke care standards that help support improved outcomes and quality of life for patients.”

Both hospitals were recognized for their stroke care on multiple levels. Tidelands Georgetown earned Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite, and Tidelands Waccamaw earned Target: Stroke Honor Roll for meeting specific criteria that help reduce the time between a patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with a clot-buster.

In addition, Tidelands Georgetown and Tidelands Waccamaw earned recognition in stroke care for Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll for helping patients with Type 2 diabetes – who might be at higher risk for complications – receive up-to-date, evidence-based care for a stroke.

Tidelands Georgetown also earned Get With the Guidelines - Rural Stroke Bronze recognition for its acute stroke care efforts, including helping community members have access to quick, timely treatments, which are crucial for survival and helps in recovery.

“We are incredibly pleased to recognize Tidelands Health for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Steven Messe, MD, 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.”

In addition to these recent recognitions, Tidelands Waccamaw and Tidelands Georgetown have earned advanced primary stroke center certification from The Joint Commission – the largest independent health care accrediting agency in the United States – in collaboration with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

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Tidelands Health, in collaboration with MUSC Health, is the region’s largest health care provider, serving the Carolinas at four hospitals and more than 70 outpatient locations. More than 2,500 employee, physician and volunteer partners work side by side with our communities to transform the health of our region – promoting wellness, preventing illness, encouraging recovery and restoring health.