Myrtle Beach, SC - Grand Strand Medical Center has received the Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Bronze Quality Achievement Award and Silver-Plus Quality Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association for the treatment of stroke patients.

Get With The Guidelines - Stroke helps hospital teams provide the most up-to-date, research-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. The awards were earned by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include aggressive use of medications and risk-reduction therapies aimed at reducing death and disability and improving the lives of stroke patients.

“Grand Strand Medical Center is dedicated to improving the quality of stroke care and The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines – Stroke helps us achieve that goal,” said Mark Sims, Grand Strand Medical chief executive officer.

“The Grand Strand region has one of the highest stroke rates in the country and our hospital stroke team has worked diligently with protocols, aggressive treatment and education to improve stroke awareness and care,” added Sims. “With these awards, our hospital demonstrates our commitment to ensure that our patients receive care based on internationally-respected clinical guidelines.”

According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the number four cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. South Carolina has the sixth highest stroke death rate in the nation.

Grand Strand Medical Center was certified as an advanced primary stroke center by The Joint Commission in 2013.