Clark Fork Valley Hospital receives Heart Association award

Clark Fork Valley Hospital received an American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines and Mission: Lifeline achievement award for demonstrating commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of stroke, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospital.

Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke, and stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. Studies show patients can recover better when providers consistently follow treatment guidelines. 

Get With The Guidelines and Mission: Lifeline put 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 evidence- and research-based guidelines. 

As a participant in Mission: Lifeline and Get With The Guidelines programs, CFVH qualified for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to improving quality care. 

“Clark Fork Valley Hospital is committed to improving care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines and streamlining processes to ensure timely and proper care for strokes,” explained Kitty Strowbridge, BSN, RN and Quality and Performance Improvement Manager. “Our staff have put a lot of time and effort into decreasing time between patients presenting to the ER and getting a CT scan as well as developing a code stroke response to ensure all hands are on deck to coordinate care for potential stroke patients. These processes specifically have contributed greatly to better outcomes for our patients here is Sanders County.” 

“This award shows CFVH's commitment to caring for those in their community who need stroke care,” said Donald Lloyd-Jones, chair of the American Heart Association Quality Oversight Committee and chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern Medicine.

“By following the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols, CFVH can help realize our shared vision of improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for healthcare systems, families and communities.”