The Berman Brain & Spine Institute at LifeBridge Health is acknowledged for excellence in stroke care

The Sandra and Malcolm Berman Brain & Spine Institute at LifeBridge Health has been acknowledged for the exceptional quality of its stroke care with a Target: Stroke designation and two Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Awards from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

The Berman Brain & Spine Institute's Stroke Center at Sinai Hospital was awarded a Target: Stroke designation in recognition of its excellence in delivering timely critical care to patients with acute stroke. The designation was earned because Sinai met the criteria of providing IV tPA, a clot-busting drug, to at least 50 percent of ischemic stroke patients within 60 minutes of their arrival at the hospital, also known as "door-to-needle time." This was accomplished over the last six months of 2012. To date in 2013, Sinai Hospital has increased this rate to more than 75 percent.

"The delivery of timely treatment to patients with stroke is essential to ensuring successful outcomes for their long-term health," said Adrian J. Goldszmidt, M.D., chief of the Department of Neurology at Sinai Hospital. "We are pleased to be part of a select group of hospitals throughout the country and one of only seven in Maryland to have achieved this Target: Stroke distinction."

The Stroke Centers at Sinai and Northwest Hospitals received 2013 Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Awards. This award recognizes hospitals with at least 85 percent compliance with key national stroke care guidelines for 24 or more consecutive months.

Source: LifeBridge Health