For the second consecutive year, the St. Luke’s Allentown Hospital and St. Luke’s University Hospital in Bethlehem have received the “Get With The Guidelines - Stroke Gold Plus, Target: Stroke Elite Award.”

The award from the American Heart Association-American Stroke Association recognizes demonstrated clinical excellence in the treatment and care of stroke victims based on national standards and evidence-based clinical protocols.

According to Jessica Heckenberger, MSN, RN, Stroke Center Coordinator, St. Luke’s University Health Network, “St. Luke’s is honored to be part of an elite group of hospitals recognized with this award.

To achieve “Get With The Guidelines - Stroke Gold Plus, Target: Stroke Elite Award” status hospitals must demonstrate at least 85 percent compliance in each of the seven key “Get With The Guidelines - Stroke Achievement Measures” over 24 consecutive months. This includes treating 75 percent of acute ischemic stroke patients with thrombolytic therapy within 60 minutes of hospital arrival.

Additionally, St. Luke’s Warren Campus was honored with a silver award from the distinguished organization, also for the second time. The New Jersey campus was first recognized in 2014.

St. Luke’s Miners Campus received a silver award from the organization, and St. Luke’s Anderson Campus was recognized with a bronze award, each for the first time in 2016.

The “Get With The Guidelines” recognition program, first launched in 2003, analyzes clinical database information from primary stroke centers throughout the United States.

“I would like to thank our EMS providers and all of the staff that work diligently every day to not only provide optimal care but to improve the quality of life for our patients that have suffered a cerebral vascular accident,” said Heckenberger.

St. Luke’s University Health Network (SLUHN) is a non-profit, regional, nationally-recognized network providing services at six hospitals and more than 200 sites, primarily in Lehigh, Northampton, Carbon, Schuylkill, Bucks, Montgomery, Berks and Monroe counties in Pennsylvania and in Warren County, N.J.