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Renown Nationally Recognized for Providing High-Quality Stroke Care With Three American Heart Association Recognitions

2024 American heart Association Stroke award logo with Renown Health logo

The Renown Neurovascular and Stroke Program and Renown Rehabilitation Hospital teams provide expert emergency stroke care and comprehensive neurovascular care and rehabilitation services.

The American Heart Association presents Get With The Guidelines®- Stroke Gold Plus awards for proven dedication to ensuring all stroke patients have access to best practices and life-saving care.

Renown Health emergency, medical and surgical providers have received three American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® awards. These awards demonstrate commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatments according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines; reducing disabilities and increasing the number of lives saved.

Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke. Stroke is the 5th leading cause of death in the U.S. and the main cause of adult disability. Studies show patients recover better when providers consistently follow treatment guidelines.

Get With The Guidelines puts 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 research and evidence-based guidelines.

“A stroke is an extremely serious condition that requires emergent medical treatment. The faster treatment is provided, the lower the risk of brain injury. We are proud of our thousands of physicians, nurses and clinicians who consistently practice exceptional patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said Brian Erling, MD, MBA, President and CEO, Renown Health. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and consistent protocols to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help people live longer and better lives.”

“As a participant in Get With The Guidelines programs, Renown qualified for the awards by demonstrating that physicians and clinicians across our integrated academic health system are committed to improving quality care for stroke patients,” said Bill Plauth, MD, MMM, CPE, Chief Medical Officer for Renown Health and Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine. “If you or a loved one is experiencing a stroke, call 911, as you need skilled medical care immediately. Stroke care focuses on helping people recover as much function as possible and return to independent living. The Renown Neurovascular and Stroke Program and Renown Rehabilitation Hospital teams provide expert emergency stroke care and comprehensive neurovascular care and rehabilitation services.”

“We are incredibly pleased to recognize Renown Health for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Steven Messe, M.D., volunteer chairperson of the American Heart Association Stroke System of Care Advisory Group and professor of neurology and director of fellowships of neurology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. “Participation in Get With The Guidelines is associated with improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and the northern Nevada community.”

Renown also met specific scientific guidelines as a Primary Stroke Center/Comprehensive Stroke Center, featuring a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department. “Renown Regional Medical Center is the only designated Comprehensive Stroke Center in northern Nevada,” says Benjamin Pence, DO, Director, Institute for Neurosciences at Renown. “This means that we have the highest level of certification to receive and treat patients with the most complex strokes. Our Institute for Neurosciences team is led by the area's top neurologists, who educate our UNR medical students and residents, as well as conduct research studies involving new ways of preventing, diagnosing, and managing neurological disorders. We care for patients suffering from nerve and brain disorders such as stroke, headache, epilepsy, cerebral aneurysms, and other acute conditions. We also monitor and develop treatment options for patients with memory, neurodegenerative, and movement disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis or Parkinson's Disease.”

Renown Health also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital (within 60 minutes or less) and treatment for at least 85 percent of applicable patients.

“It is an honor to be among the American Heart Association’s Stroke Honor Roll Elite award recipients,” said Bret Frey, MD, president of Northern Nevada Emergency Physicians Care teams at Renown Health. “We adhere to these rigorous guidelines daily and demonstrate our unwavering commitment to ensuring more people in northern Nevada receive leading emergency and trauma care and the gift of extended, healthier lives.”

Renown Health also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll - Stroke award, ensuring patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke. This award is given to hospitals that qualify for the silver level or higher achievement award within the Get With The Guidelines – Stroke program and achieve an overall Diabetes Cardiovascular Initiative Composite Score of more than 80 percent.


About Renown Health

Renown Health is the region’s largest, locally governed, not-for-profit integrated health care network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe, and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 7,500 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination, and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. For more information, visit renown.org.

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Renown Regional Medical Center Using FDA-Approved TNKase® to Treat Ischemic Stroke

As Nevada’s only integrated academic health system and only Comprehensive Stroke Center in the region, Renown leads with advanced stroke care innovation to improve outcomes for patients. Renown Regional Medical Center, the only Joint Commission-certified Comprehensive Stroke Center in northern Nevada since 2019, is now using the newly FDA-approved TNKase® (Tenecteplase) to treat eligible adults experiencing acute ischemic stroke- offering patients faster, more effective clot-dissolving treatment with improved outcomes. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved TNKase® for use in treating acute ischemic stroke in adults within 4.5 hours of symptom onset. “TNKase® represents an important advancement in stroke care,” said Benjamin Tim Pence, DO, Medical Director of the Renown Institute for Neurosciences. “Compared to the traditional clot-busting drug alteplase (tPA), TNKase® is given as a single IV bolus rather than a one-hour infusion. This simplifies and accelerates treatment, allowing us to restore blood flow more quickly and potentially improving outcomes for our patients.” A recent patient wrote, “I cannot praise the entire Renown team enough for saving my life or at the least saving me from paralysis. My husband took me to the Renown Regional Emergency Room with stroke symptoms. Turns out I was having a stroke. The check-in team helped me into the ER and quickly got me to the triage nurse. She did a couple of tests and quickly called for a “stroke protocol” and everyone sprung into action. A scan was immediately done; it indicated the place in my brain that was causing the stroke. I was rushed to surgery; the blood clot was removed. I was taken to the ICU for monitoring. The entire ICU team took such wonderful care of me, told me what to expect. They did everything they could to make me feel safe and comfortable. My stroke started around 4 pm on Wednesday and by noon on Friday I was released for the ICU was no lasting effects. I cannot remember everyone’s name that helped me but to a person they were simply the best. Every single person who helped me at Renown was so caring, took the time to explain things even though they were moving extremely fast. My results and recovery are miraculous to me and my family. I am so thankful my husband drove me to Renown Regional Medical Center.” Cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and stroke, account for more than one-third of all U.S. deaths and a leading cause of disability. Here in Washoe County, Nev., 3.4% of adults have been told by a health care provider that they had a stroke (2022, Nevadatomorrow.org). As Nevada’s only integrated academic health system, Renown Health combines advanced clinical care with leading research, education, and community outreach. Through its partnership with the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, Renown is expanding access to expert stroke care, training the next generation of physicians, and driving innovation in neuroscience and emergency medicine. “Renown Regional’s Comprehensive Stroke Center designation reflects our ability to provide the highest level of stroke care,” said Seth Langevin, Vice President, Neuro, Cardiovascular and Rehabilitation. “It means we are here around the clock, on a 24/7 basis, providing advanced neuroimaging, rapid intervention, neurosurgical services, neurocritical care, thrombectomy and neurocritical care, and access to specialized stroke rehabilitation just next door at the adjacent Renown Rehabilitation Hospital at 1495 Mill St. in Reno.” “Time is brain. Every minute counts,” said Bret Frey, MD, Director of Emergency Services of the Emergency Department at Renown, and Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine. “The introduction of TNKase® is a genetically engineered thrombolytic (clot-busting drug) shown to be at least as effective as alteplase (tPA) but easier and faster to administer. This supports our commitment to faster, safer, and more effective stroke treatment for patients throughout the region. Since using TNKase® allows for faster intervention, patients can experience better outcomes after suffering a stroke. This improves our “door to needle time” for stroke care and aligns with stroke care best practices.” Renown began using TNKase® in 2022 as a clinical trial, prior to receiving FDA approval, allowing its providers to use the intervention while further approvals were pursued. Renown physicians switched to TNKase® because it is a bioengineered version of Activase, which means that not only is the medication more durable and targeted, but it also allows for quicker treatment times. In addition, TNKase® appears in the treatment guidelines provided by the American Stroke Association. “In addition,” says Dr. Pence, “having FDA approval for TNKase® means that rural health systems statewide will now also have increased access to this medicine. Since several rural hospitals rely on federal funding to advance care in their communities, TNKase® will be available to them as a part of their funding. Using TNKase® as a rapid IV push will keep stroke care closer to home for rural Nevadans. Renown also partners closely with EMS providers across northern Nevada to deliver rapid stroke recognition, triage, and treatment- ensuring patients receive the right care at the right time.” “TNKase® is a lifesaving medication that can mean a world of difference in a patient’s stroke recovery process,” said Jamie Preston, RN, Nurse Navigator, Renown Institute for Neurosciences. “I personally witnessed a young female patient who recently delivered a baby come to Renown eight hours after her stroke-like symptoms started. Stroke imaging confirmed a clot causing a large stroke that would have left her debilitated and disabled. After receiving TNKase®, she regained functionality in her limbs and was able to speak again. We are happy to say that she and her baby are doing fine.”
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Renown Health Nationally Recognized for Commitment to Providing High-Quality Stroke Care With Three American Heart Association Recognitions

The American Heart Association presents Get With The Guidelines®- Stroke Gold Plus awards for proven dedication to ensuring all stroke patients have access to best practices and life-saving care.
Read More Renown Health Nationally Recognized for Commitment to Providing High-Quality Stroke Care With Three American Heart Association Recognitions
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