Zanesville, Ohio (Aug. 21, 2020) - Genesis HealthCare System received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes the hospital's commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.

"Genesis HealthCare System is dedicated to providing high-quality care for our stroke patients by implementing the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines-Stroke initiative," said Keela Barker, director, Genesis Rehabilitation & Ambulatory Services. "The tools and resources provided help us track and measure our success in meeting evidenced-based clinical guidelines, ensuring our patients get the timely stroke care they need."

Genesis earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke treatments aligned with the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. Before discharge, patients should also receive education on managing their health, get a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as other care transition interventions.

Genesis also received the Target: Stroke^SM Honor Roll award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet quality measures developed to reduce the time between the patient's 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.

Additionally, Genesis HealthCare System received the Target: Type 2 Honor Roll award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet quality measures developed with more than 90% compliance for 12 consecutive months for the "Overall Diabetes Cardiovascular Initiative Composite Score."

According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 40 seconds and nearly 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.

Zanesville, Ohio (Oct. 8) - Genesis HealthCare System's vascular surgery team recently started performing the TransCarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR) procedure. TCAR is a less-invasive method for treating carotid artery disease where plaque builds up in one or both neck arteries and can cause strokes.

"With the addition of TCAR, we have yet another innovative procedure to reduce stroke risk. Stroke impacts approximately 800,000 Americans each year and is the fifth-highest killer in the United States. TCAR is revolutionary because it enables us to reverse blood flow temporarily, and filter plaque particles before they reach the brain, minimizing risks during the procedure," said Michael Kunstmann, D.O., fellowship-trained and board-certified vascular surgeon.

During the procedure, a small incision is made in the neck. A tube is inserted into the carotid artery and connected to equipment to direct blood flow away from the brain temporarily. The blood is filtered before returning to a vein in the groin. In addition to fewer risks during the TCAR procedure, a smaller incision is used to reduce scarring and procedure time is less than half compared to carotid endarterectomy. Most patients return home the day after the procedure.

MitraClip™ Implant Questions and Answers

1. What is mitral valve regurgitation?

a. This occurs when the mitral valve flap in your heart does not work correctly, allowing blood to leak backwards into the heart.

2. Are there symptoms?

a. You may be symptom free, or suffer from one or more of the following including a mild cough, lightheadedness, fatigue, shortness of breath that increases with activity and lying down or rapid heartbeat.

3. Is mitral valve regurgitation dangerous?

a. There are two forms of mitral valve regurgitation. Degenerative mitral regurgitation is when a valve is damaged. The damage can be from a birth defect, certain infections or aging. Degenerative mitral regurgitation can lead to strokes.

4. Who are candidates for MitraClip?

a. MitraClip can help, if you have degenerative mitral regurgitation and are considered high risk for surgery. MitraClip is a solution for functional mitral disease if treatments did not help.

5. What happens during the procedure?

a. The MitraClip implant is a one time, minimally invasive procedure. The implant is inserted through a vein in your upper leg and guided to your heart, where it is attached to your mitral valve.

General anesthesia is used so you will be asleep during the procedure.

6. How does MitraClip help?

a. After the MitraClip is attached to the malfunctioning mitral valve in your heart, it will help the valve to close properly and restore normal blood flow through the heart.

7. What happens after the procedure?

a. You will stay in the hospital for one to three days. After the implant, you will take a blood thinner and aspirin. A checkup will occur in 30 days and at one year.

8. Who is on the procedure team?

a. A trained and experienced team of physicians make up the MitraClip team. The team includes Kinan Kassar, M.D., Interventional Cardiologist, Mahmoud Farhoud, M.D., Cardiologist Imaging Specialist and Selomie Kebede, M.D., Cardiologist Imaging Specialist. Each of these physicians are part of the Genesis Heart & Vascular Group.

MitraClip™ Implant Questions and Answers