The Woodlands Skilled Nursing Facility, part of the Meth-Wick Community in Cedar Rapids, has received a certificate of achievement for its participation in the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline Stroke post-acute care initiative.
According to a news release, the recognition is part of a national effort to improve standardised, evidence-based rehabilitation and recovery practices for stroke patients following hospital discharge. The initiative aims to address variations in care and improve health outcomes through structured clinical protocols and staff training.
Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability in the United States, with approximately 795,000 people experiencing a new or recurrent stroke each year, according to the American Heart Association’s 2023 statistical update.
To qualify for the certificate of achievement, facilities must implement a stroke-specific rehabilitation programme, provide stroke education for staff, adopt clinical protocols aligned with national guidelines, and engage in ongoing quality improvement.
“Participation in this programme benefits the patient and the facility by standardising care practices,” said Madeline Pawloski, Post-Acute Stroke Programme consultant at the American Heart Association, in the release. “When there are evidence-based processes during every phase of care, patients have the best opportunity for positive outcomes.”
Facilities taking part in the programme receive support for process improvement and access to a learning collaborative focused on developing and sharing best practices in stroke rehabilitation and secondary prevention.
Kathy Horan, chief executive officer of Meth-Wick, said the initiative helps staff apply clinical guidelines more consistently. “The post-acute care initiative makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help patients recover better,” she said, in the release.
The Mission: Lifeline Stroke initiative began in Iowa in July 2022 with a $7.5mn grant from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. It aims to create a coordinated system of stroke care by linking hospitals, emergency medical services, rehabilitation facilities and other care providers.
