Trinity Health Michigan Hospitals Nationally Recognized for High-Quality Stroke Care

Trinity Health Oakland, Trinity Health Livonia, Trinity Health Grand Rapids and Trinity Health Muskegon have each received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for their 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.

Trinity Health Ann Arbor also received the Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Silver Plus achievement award. Similar to the quality standards achieved by Gold Plus hospitals, the Stroke Silver Plus Award requires hospitals to obtain 85% or higher adherence on all achievement measures applicable, as well as 75% or higher adherence with additional select quality measures in stroke, in the past calendar year. If Trinity Health Ann Arbor achieves this level of performance again in 2025, it will be eligible to receive the Gold Plus Award.

Other awards earned by Trinity Health Michigan hospitals include:

• Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll: Trinity Health Oakland, Trinity Health Livonia, Trinity Health Grand Rapids and Trinity Health Muskegon
• Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus: Trinity Health Grand Rapids
• Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite: Trinity Health Ann Arbor, Trinity Health Oakland
• Target: Stroke Honor Roll: Trinity Health Livonia, Trinity Health Muskegon
• Target: Stroke Honor Roll Advanced Therapy: Trinity Health Grand Rapids

To earn the Target: Honor Roll, Stroke Honor Roll Elite and Honor Roll Elite Plus Awards, hospitals must meet specific criteria that show reduction of time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with thrombolytic therapy. For hospitals to receive the Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll Award, they must provide the most up-to-date, evidence-based care to stroke patients living with Type 2 Diabetes. To earn the Target: Stroke Advanced Therapy award, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment to remove the clot causing the stroke.

Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel carrying oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that occurs, part of the brain does not receive the blood and oxygen it needs, resulting in the death of brain cells in that area of the brain. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times.

“Our hospitals are committed to providing Michigan communities with the most advanced stroke care, with proven protocols in place that allow us to respond and intervene quickly, reducing disability and death from a stroke,” said Rosalie Tocco-Bradley, M.D., PhD, chief clinical officer of Trinity Health Michigan. “These awards and recognitions tell the story of how many people working as one, can make a tremendous impact in the life of a patient. Together, our medical teams are helping people live longer, healthier lives.”

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.

“We are incredibly pleased to recognize these Trinity Health Michigan hospitals for their 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.”

 

About Trinity Health Michigan

Trinity Health Michigan is a leading health care provider and one of the state’s largest employers. With more than 24,000 full-time employees serving 29 counties, Trinity Health Michigan operates nine hospitals located in Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Grand Haven, Grand Rapids, Howell, Livonia, Muskegon, Pontiac and Shelby, and two medical groups. The health system has 2,314 beds and 5,446 physicians and advanced practice providers. With operating revenues of $4.16 billion, Trinity Health Michigan returns $184 million back to their local communities each year. Together with numerous ambulatory care locations, home health and hospice agencies and 23 senior living communities owned and/or operated by Trinity Health, Trinity Health Michigan provides the full continuum of care for Michigan residents. Trinity Health Michigan is a member of Trinity Health, one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the country serving more than 30 million people across 22 states. www.trinityhealthmichigan.org.

About Get With The Guidelines

Get With The Guidelines® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 12 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.