For the thirteenth year in a row, Mercy Hospital of Buffalo’s Comprehensive Stroke Center has been recognized with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award and Target: Honor Roll Elite Plus Award. This recognition highlights the center’s adherence to high-quality stroke care based on nationally recognized guidelines.
In celebration of National Stroke Awareness Month, an awards event and patient reunion were held on May 30. Michael Denton, a stroke survivor, was reunited with the Gowanda EMS providers who transported him to Mercy Hospital and with the medical team that cared for him during his stay. “I feel like I made a full recovery thanks to everyone who took care of me from the first responders to my entire healthcare team at Mercy,” said Michael. “The speed of everyone’s reactions and their capabilities got me back on my feet.”
Neurosurgeon Dr. Rosalind Lai, who played a crucial role in Michael’s recovery by removing the clot causing his stroke, expressed her gratitude for witnessing his progress. “It was a wonderful celebration for everyone involved and a true collaboration,” Dr. Lai stated. She also stressed the importance of seeking immediate care when experiencing stroke symptoms.
Mercy Hospital achieved the Stroke Gold Plus Award by meeting specific quality measures over two years for diagnosing and treating stroke patients. To earn the Target: Stroke Elite PlusSM award, hospitals must meet criteria aimed at reducing time between hospital arrival, ischemic stroke diagnosis, and administration of thrombolytic medication. Additionally, Mercy Hospital received the Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll Award for its treatment of heart failure and stroke patients with type 2 diabetes.
Since 2013, Mercy Hospital has been designated as a Comprehensive Stroke Center by The Joint Commission in Western New York and among the first in New York State. The hospital offers continuous emergency care with specially trained personnel and advanced facilities to handle complex stroke cases. It undergoes rigorous review every two years by The Joint Commission and has consistently earned re-accreditation.
According to AHA/ASA statistics, strokes are the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and significantly contribute to adult disability rates. On average, someone suffers from or dies due to a stroke every few minutes nationwide.
