Harris Health System’s Ben Taub Hospital now touts multiple years of achieving national recognition for its stroke and cardiology programs from renowned organizations like the American Heart Association, the American Stroke Association and the American College of Cardiology.
Ben Taub Hospital ranks among elite hospitals in the U.S. for its treatment and care of stroke and heart attacks—ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) cases. The acknowledgements mean the hospital has the expertise and technology to administer life-saving care to the sickest patients. Unfortunately, only 25 percent of hospitals in the nation offer such care.
Among its recent accolades for stroke and cardiology are:
- Get with the Guidelines® -Stroke Gold Plus Achievement Award Hospital by the American Stroke Association and American Heart Association (four consecutive years)
- Chest Pain Center v5 with Primary PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention) Accreditation from the American College of Cardiology Accreditation Services in collaboration with the American Heart Association Hospital Accreditation (three-year accreditation)
- 2018 Platinum Performance Achievement Award from ACTION Registry, a division of the American College of Cardiology
- Mission: Lifeline® -NSTEMI-Gold Achievement Award Hospital by the American Heart Association (four consecutive years)
- Mission: Lifeline® -STEMI Receiving Center – Gold Plus Achievement Award Hospital by the American Heart Association
“With a stroke, time lost is brain lost, and these recognitions show Ben Taub Hospital’s commitment to being one of the top hospitals in the country for providing aggressive, proven stroke care,” says Naylon Bird, BSN, RN-BC, SCRN, manager, Stroke Program, Ben Taub Hospital.
Bird and Dr. Joseph Kass, chief, Neurology, and medical director, Stroke Service, Ben Taub Hospital, and associate professor, Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, credit the program’s continued success to its multi-disciplinary team that works to improve processes and maintain the highest standards of patient care.
“These recognitions showcase our team’s commitment to excellence in patient care,” says Dr. Nathan Deal, executive vice president and administrator, Ben Taub Hospital. “Most importantly they signify to patients coming to our hospital that they are receiving the best care possible.”
Dr. Nasser Lakkis, chief, Cardiology, Ben Taub Hospital, and chair and professor, General and Interventional Cardiology, Baylor College of Medicine, says providing successful outcomes for patients are what motivate him and his team to elevate the standard of heart care offered to patients.
“The American Heart Association awards acknowledge that every patient who comes to our hospital with chest pain and heart attack symptoms will get quick, efficient care every hour of the day,” he says. “As a matter of fact, patients at our hospital get the care they need in half the time of the national standard of 90 minutes—usually around 45 minutes.”
The Get with the Guidelines award means hospitals must achieve 85 percent or higher in all achievement indicators for two or more consecutive 12-month periods (Ben Taub Hospital scored greater than 90 percent) and hospitals must achieve 75 percent or higher compliance with five of eight stringent quality measures (Ben Taub Hospital achieved greater than 90 percent in all eight measures).
“Each year, 250,000 people in the U.S. suffer STEMIs and how quickly they receive expert and timely treatment could be the difference between life and death or significant disability,” adds Stacey Bryan, RN, manager, Chest Pain Program, Ben Taub Hospital.