Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Earns Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award

Florida Hospital Zephyrhills has received the 2018 American Heart Association/American Stroke Associations Get With The Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. This is the third consecutive year that the hospital has attained this level of distinction.

According to the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association, the Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award recognizes Florida Hospital Zephyrhills commitment to ensuring that stroke patients receive the most appropriate and consistent treatment based on nationally recognized, research-based guidelines that are backed by scientific evidence. Some of these guidelines include meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a designated level and time and ensuring the proper evaluation for use of medications and other stroke treatments.

In addition, to qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet quality measures developed to reduce the time between the patients arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat ischemic stroke.

Earning this award from The American Heart Association demonstrates our commitment to improving the quality of care for our stroke patients, said Gwen Alonso, RN, Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Chief Nursing Officer. Our goal is to improve stroke patient outcomes and one of the

ways we do this is through stroke education. Recognizing the warning signs of a stroke and seeking emergency medical treatment immediately will help to foster better outcomes.

Stroke symptoms include facial droop, arm weakness and slurred speech. If you notice any of these symptoms, its time to call 911, added Alonso.

Florida Hospital Zephyrhills was also named one of Americas Best Hospitals for Stroke Centers in 2017 and 2018 by the Women's Choice Award, Americas trusted referral source for the best in health care.

According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the number five cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States. On average, someone in the United States suffers a stroke every 40 seconds and nearly 795,000 people have a new or recurrent stroke annually.

About Florida Hospital Zephyrhills

Florida Hospital Zephyrhills (FHZ) is an award winning 149-bed regional medical center located in East Pasco County. It is a proud member of the Adventist Health System, providing a legacy of health and healing for more than 150 years. FHZ has been named One of Americas Best Hospitals for 2018 in heart care; stroke; orthopedics; and patient safety by the Women's Choice Award. The hospital is also the first in Florida to receive The Joint Commissions Gold Seal of Approval for Advanced Certification for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement. FHZ offers the only comprehensive cardiovascular program in East and Central Pasco County, including open heart surgery and valve repair. Equipped with eight technologically advanced surgical suites, the hospital provides a full range of inpatient and outpatient surgical services including, but not limited to general, orthopedic, endoscopic, gynecology, urology, cardiovascular and robotic procedures. The Women's Health Center at FHZ provides gynecology, urology, pelvic floor health, obstetrics and breast care through the Simpson Breast Health Center. And, the hospitals recently renovated ER delivers emergency medical care 24/7 with a fast track suite for minor emergencies. Other programs and services include a Wellness Center, Wellness Spa, Center for Wound Healing, Bone and Joint Center, Outpatient Rehabilitation and Diagnostic Imaging. To learn more visit FHZeph.org.