Wilson Health Named Stroke Ready Center

Wilson Health continues to enhance its quality of care for its patients and was recently awarded Stroke Ready Certification by HFAP, the nation’s original independent, accreditation program. This certification illustrates the commitment of Wilson Health to providing prompt recognition and treatment of stroke patients.

A stroke occurs about every 40 seconds in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC also estimates that someone in the U.S. dies from a stroke every four minutes.

“Time is of the essence in treating symptoms of a stroke. Immediate treatment may minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death,” said Linda Maurer, MSN, BSN, RN, Chief Nursing Officer, Wilson Health. “We’re honored to receive this certification as it shows our continued commitment to providing outstanding care to our patients and our community.”

As designated by HFAP, Stroke Ready Centers provide timely access to stroke care and indicate to the community and emergency medical services that hospitals are prepared to meet the initial needs of stroke patients. Further, the organization has indicated a growing need for Stroke Ready centers, particularly in rural America.

“Wilson Health clearly demonstrates a commitment to quality and patient safety,” said Meg Gravesmill, Vice President, HFAP. “We base our decision on the findings of an extensive and thorough onsite review of the Wilson Health Stroke Program against standards for organizational operations and clinical services that drive patient safety and continuous quality improvement. Wilson Health has earned the distinction of HFAP Stroke Ready Certification through its performance in successfully meeting those standards.”

Wilson Health’s Stroke Ready quality measures include activation of the stroke team, the team being on site within 15 minutes of the patient arriving to the hospital, and laboratory studies and neuroimaging studies being done with results in the hands of the provider within 45 minutes of patient arrival. All of this activity is focused on the medical team determining if a treatment known as thrombolytic therapy can be delivered. Thrombolytic therapy, which can dissolve dangerous clots in blood vessels, can improve blood flow to the affected area and prevent damage to those tissues and organs. All of this is necessary when treating ischemic stroke patients, which is the condition that results from an obstructed blood vessel blocking blood flow to a portion of the brain. 

“Time is not a friend when treating conditions such as a stroke,” said Maurer. “Which is why being certified as a Stroke-Ready hospital is important because certification affirms that we know how to best manage treatment that could result in a reduction of long term effects often resulting from having a stroke.”

Common stroke warning signs and symptoms include: sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg-especially on one side of the body, sudden confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding, sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden difficulty walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or coordination, and sudden severe headache with no known cause. If you or someone else experiences any of these symptoms call 9-1-1 and get to the nearest emergency department.

“We’re proud to achieve this prestigious certification,” said Mark Klosterman, President and CEO, Wilson Health. “Earning Stroke Ready HFAP certification is a significant achievement that recognizes our commitment to providing outstanding care to our patients and our community.”