PETOSKEY, Mich.—McLaren Northern Michigan, the Certified Primary Stroke Center serving 22 northern Michigan counties, has earned recognition from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association for its stroke treatment and proficiency. For this, the hospital was acknowledged with the organization’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke GOLD PLUS, its highest achievable recognition.
Distinction levels are determined based on programs’ compliance with the most up-to-date, evidence-based treatment guidelines set by the AHA/ASA to improve the care and clinical outcomes of stroke patients.
The GOLD PLUS level is earned by aligning with these guidelines for 24 or more consecutive months.
“McLaren Northern Michigan is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said Dr. Karl Meisel, neurologist with McLaren Northern Michigan. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help patients recover better. The end goal is to ensure more people in our local communities can experience longer, healthier lives.”
Part of the McLaren Stroke Network, McLaren Northern Michigan, a Certified Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission, is capable and stands ready to treat patients experiencing these potentially life-threatening attacks.
“We are incredibly pleased to recognize McLaren Northern Michigan for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Dr. Steven Messe, chairperson of the Stroke System of Care Advisory Group. “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 the GOLD PLUS recognition, the hospital also earned the Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus, for its timeliness and efficiency in administering clot-busting IV tPA, and Target: Type 2 Diabetes, ensuring patients who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke.
The fifth leading cause of death and the leading cause of adult disability in the United States, 795,000 people suffer a stroke every year — averaging one stroke every 40 seconds. By quickly identifying a stroke and efficiently administering care, long-term effects and complications can be minimized, and death can even be prevented.
To learn more about the stroke capabilities of McLaren Northern Michigan, visit mclaren.org/northernstroke.
About McLaren Northern Michigan
McLaren Northern Michigan is a 202-bed regional referral center located in Petoskey, serving residents in 22 counties across northern Lower Michigan and the eastern part of the Upper Peninsula. More than 230 physicians represent nearly all medical and surgical specialties, enabling full-service care with an emphasis on cardiology, cancer, orthopedics and neurosciences. McLaren Northern Michigan is a certified Primary Stroke Center, as designated by the Joint Commission. The hospital has a network of primary care providers and specialty care clinics throughout the region, and an outpatient surgery center in Cheboygan. Learn more at mclaren.org/northernmichigan.
About McLaren Health Care
McLaren Health Care, headquartered in Grand Blanc, Michigan, is a fully integrated health network committed to quality evidence-based patient care and cost efficiency. The McLaren system includes 13 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, an employed primary care physician network, commercial and Medicaid HMOs covering more than 630,000 lives, home health and hospice providers, retail medical equipment showrooms, pharmacy services and a wholly owned medical malpractice insurance company. McLaren operates Michigan’s largest network of cancer centers and providers, anchored by the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, one of only 49 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive centers in the U.S. McLaren has 26,000 employees and more than 52,500 network providers. Its operations are housed in more than 350 facilities serving the entire Lower Peninsula of the state of Michigan along with a portion of the Upper Peninsula.