UCI Health – Lakewood receives Get With the Guidelines ® Gold Plus for stroke care
Recognition from the American Heart Association affirms high-quality, lifesaving care for stroke
May 30, 2024
Lakewood, Calif. — UCI Health ― Lakewood is proud to be awarded the Get With The Guidelines® Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll by the American Heart Association.
It is the most advanced level of recognition by the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association, which helps ensure that patients receive stroke treatment based on nationally recognized, evidence-based guidelines.
This achievement is validation of the high-quality care at UCI Health ― Lakewood, which results in more lives saved, fewer hospital readmissions and reduced disability due to stroke. Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in the United States.
“This continued certification and awards represent a long-standing dedication to excellence by our entire team of physicians, nurses, pharmacists, technicians, and quality improvement staff throughout this hospital,” said Virg Narbutas, UCI Health ― Lakewood CEO.
“We are honored to provide comprehensive stroke care to the Lakewood community and remain steadfast in our unwavering commitment to improve the lives of our patients.”
Every second counts
The first few minutes of a stroke are the most important, and when you or a loved one is having a stroke, you must act quickly. Doing so could mean the difference between life and death. Research has shown that two million brain cells are lost within the first minute after a stroke begins. The faster a person who is having a stroke receives treatment, the better the chances of a complete recovery and life without disability.
Recognize the signs of stroke and respond appropriately by calling 911 and BE FAST.
- B – Balance: Sudden loss of balance or coordination
- E – Eyes: Sudden vision change/trouble seeing
- F – Face: One side of the face droops when the person smiles
- A – Arm: One arm drifts down when the person raises arms
- S – Speech: Person's speech in slurred, slow or strange
- T – Time: If you or someone around you is experiencing one, some or all of these symptoms, "BE FAST" and call 911 immediately for emergency medical assistance.
UCI Health ― Lakewood has demonstrated the ability to comply with the stringent requirements of the Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification Program. The Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification Program of DNV GL Healthcare USA, Inc. integrates certain requirements of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Conditions of Participation for Hospitals, and Guidelines of the Brain Attack Coalition and Recommendations of the American Heart Association / American Stroke Association®.
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About UCI Health
UCI Health is the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine, and the only academic health system based in Orange County. UCI Health is comprised of its main campus, UCI Medical Center, a 459-bed, acute care hospital in in Orange, Calif., four hospitals and affiliated physicians of the UCI Health Community Network in Orange and Los Angeles counties and ambulatory care centers across the region. Listed among America’s Best Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report for 23 consecutive years, UCI Medical Center provides tertiary and quaternary care and is home to Orange County’s only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program and American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, gold level 1 geriatric emergency department and regional burn center. UCI Health serves a region of nearly 4 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
