In full transparency, the following is a press release submitted to SOURCE media from MetroWest Medical Center.
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FRAMINGHAM – MetroWest Medical Center has received the American Heart Association’s
SilverPlus Get With The Guidelines ® – Stroke 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.
Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S.
A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain
cells die. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability
and accelerating recovery times.
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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.
“MetroWest Medical Center is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest
treatment guidelines,” said Carolyn Jackson, Tenet Healthcare’s Massachusetts Market CEO. “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 Framingham, Natick and surrounding areas can experience longer, healthier lives.
This award is a well-earned affirmation of the excellent, compassionate stroke care provided at
MetroWest Medical Center by our physicians, nurses and other caregivers.”
Each year, program participants qualify for the award by demonstrating how their organization has
committed to providing quality care for stroke patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines,
Get With The Guidelines participants also educate patients to help them manage their health and
recovery at home.
“We are incredibly pleased to recognize MetroWest Medical Center for its commitment to caring for
patients with stroke,” said Steven Messe, M.D., 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.”
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MetroWest Medical Center also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Stroke SM Honor
Roll 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 the clot-buster alteplase.
Additionally, MetroWest Medical Center received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2
Diabetes Honor Roll award. Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes,
who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care
when hospitalized due to stroke.
MetroWest Medical Center is the largest community health care system between Worcester and
Boston. It provides services in two locations: Framingham Union in Framingham and Leonard
Morse in Natick. MetroWest Medical Center is committed to meeting the health care needs of the
area residents by providing advanced medicine and personalized care, right in the local
community.
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MassBay Community College 
MetroWest Medical Center