St. Dominic Hospital has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus 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.
St. Dominic’s also received the American Heart Association’s Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll Elite award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with thrombolytics, also known as clot-busting medication.
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.
Situated in the heart of the stroke belt, St. Dominic’s Comprehensive Stroke Center offers rapid diagnosis, high-tech intervention, expert care and intensive rehabilitation in a caring, compassionate setting. As a comprehensive stroke center of excellence, St. Dominic Hospital has the highest level of stroke certification available and is the first in Mississippi to earn the designation from The Joint Commission. The “comprehensive” designation means St. Dominic’s team of experts treat the most complex cases and have proven better outcomes for patients with 24/7 access to life-saving medical treatments like clot retrievals and neurosurgical interventions.
“I am so proud of our team and the dedication that pours out from each person that touches a stroke patient,” said Amber Herron, St. Dominic’s Comprehensive Stroke Center program manager. “An estimated two million brain cells die every minute during a stroke which is why it is so very important to BE FAST. Once a patients arrive to our hospital, our highly skilled team initiates a time-sensitive collaborative set of steps to save as many brain cells as possible. This incredible care is continued throughout the patient’s hospital stay to determine the source of the stroke, assess and treat the risk factors, initiate recovery through rehabilitation, and prepare the patient and family with the tools for success post stroke and after discharge. Thank you is not enough to express my gratitude to all who serve our patients devastated by stroke! I am truly grateful for my team’s heart and expertise!”