VALPARAISO – Porter Health systems is participating in the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get with the Guidelines Stroke Program. It has a goal of improving the quality of care for stroke patients by improving acute stroke treatment and preventing future strokes and cardiovascular illness.

            The guidelines of the program address acute stroke management, primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases, secondary prevention of strokes and establishment of primary stroke centers.

            The Get with the Guidelines Stroke Program is a precursor for Porter to receive final certification by the Joint Commission as a Primary Stroke Center, which is expected to take place in the next few months. Porter also provides the American Stroke Association, American Heart Association and Brain Attack Coalition with data on an ongoing basis.

            “Porter Health System is to be commended for its commitment to implementing standards of care and protocols for treating stroke patients,” said Lee H. Schwamm, chairman of the Get with the Guidelines National Steering Committee and director of the TeleStroke and Acute Stroke Services at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

            Virgil DiBiase, neurologist and stroke specialist at Porter Health, said, “Fifteen years ago stroke patients were basically ignored because it was thought not much could be done for them. Now we have clot dissolving drugs and evidenced-based practices that show us patients who have a stroke can get better and go on to live a normal life.”