Jackson Hospital now offers an acute stroke treatment program
Jackson Hospital now offers an American Heart Association (AHA) Acute Stroke Treatment Program. The Stroke Team led by Dr. Ben Wouters is steering the efforts to ensure the best evidence based care is provided to patients admitted with TIA’s, Ischemic and Hemorrhagic strokes.
The Brain Attack Coalition and the American Stroke Association together have created the Acute Stroke Treatment Program, to increase the number of strokes in hospitals that are diagnosed at an early stage. By conducting clinical trials and studies these organizations concluded that establishing a stroke center within a hospital would improve patient care and outcomes. Key elements of primary stroke centers include acute stroke teams, stroke units, written care protocols, and an integrated emergency response system. Important support services include availability and interpretation of CT scans 24 hours a day, and rapid laboratory testing.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and a leading cause of serious disability. That is why it is so important to reduce your risk factors, know the warning signs, and know how to respond quickly and properly if warning signs do occur.
Give Me 5
"Give Me 5" is a quick stroke check.
- WALK (Is their balance off?)
- TALK (Is their speech slurred or their face droopy?)
- REACH (Is one side weak or numb?)
- SEE (Is their vision all or partly lost?)
- FEEL (Is their headache severe?)
The Give Me 5 For Stroke Collaborative is a joint campaign of the American Academy of Neurology, the American College of Emergency Physicians and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association to increase awareness among Americans of stroke symptoms, call 9-1-1, and get to the emergency department.
Get With The GuidelinesSM–Stroke (GWTG–Stroke) Silver Performance Achievement Award
The American Heart Association has awarded Jackson Hospital with the Get With The GuidelinesSM–Stroke (GWTG–Stroke) Bronze Performance Achievement Award. The award recognizes Jackson Hospital’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of stroke care by ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment according to nationally accepted standards and recommendations.
To receive the GWTG–Stroke Bronze Performance Achievement Award, Jackson Hospital consistently followed the treatment guidelines in the GWTG–Stroke program for 90 consecutive days. These guidelines include the use of medications like tPA, antithrombotics, anticoagulation therapy, DVT prophylaxis, cholesterol reducing drugs, and smoking cessation education. The 90-day evaluation period is the first in an ongoing self-evaluation by the hospital to monitor compliance with these best practices. After twelve months of monitoring of compliance, the hospital will be eligible for the Silver Performance Achievement Award.
Jackson Hospital continuously strives for superior stroke care. From the point of admission, through the care continuum, all the way through discharge, our multidisciplinary team is dedicated to quality outcomes.
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