Stroke is Minnesota’s 6th leading cause of death, and one American dies from this condition every 4 minutes.  Becoming an Acute Stroke Ready Hospital has prepared our hospital to provide the best possible stroke care for our community.  An Acute Stroke Ready Hospital Certification recognizes that Windom Area Health meets standards to support better outcomes for patients as part of a stroke system of care. In order to be an Acute Stroke Ready Hospital, we have to meet specific standards of care for our patients, along with having:
- A dedicated stroke-focused program
- Staffing by qualified medical professionals trained in stroke care
- A relationship with local emergency management systems (EMS) that encourages training in field assessment tools and communication with the hospital prior to bringing a patient with a stroke to the emergency department
- Access to stroke expertise 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (in our case this is done via telemedicine) and transfer agreements with facilities that provide primary or comprehensive stroke services.
- 24/7 ability to perform rapid diagnostic imaging and laboratory testing to facilitate the administration for IV thrombolytics in eligible patients
- Streamlined flow of patient information while protecting patient rights, security and privacy
- Use of data to assess and continually improve quality of care for stroke patients
Make sure your family and friends know the warning signs of a stroke. It could save their life. We’re on the clock as soon as you see the signs and symptoms. Remember to BE FAST because time lost is brain lost. Time to call 911.
Learn more about this condition, along with signs and symptoms to watch for from the American Stroke Association. With May being National Stroke Awareness Month, it’s important to educate and raise awareness in our communities in order to react quickly and help outcomes from this condition.
By Katie Bennett, Emergency Department/Trauma/Stroke Coordinator