October 13, 2003
Genesis Medical Center Opens Stroke Center
Third Iowa Hospital to Meet Brain Attack Coalition's Guidelines for Primary Stroke Center
Davenport, IA - Every 45 seconds, someone in America has a stroke. Genesis Medical Center will soon be able to offer more comprehensive and coordinated care for patients who experience a brain attack (stroke) when it opens the area's only dedicated stroke unit, October 15. In addition to this opening, Genesis is the only facility in the Quad City region, and the third Iowa hospital to be recognized as a Primary Stroke Center, Category 1 by the Brain Attack Coalition (BAC).
Recent research has shown that stroke patients receive better treatment and recover with fewer disabilities when treated at a primary stroke center. Key elements of a primary stroke center include: acute stroke teams, stroke units, written care protocols, and an integrated emergency response team.
Primary Stroke Center certification is given by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). This certification is based upon published BAC and American Stroke Association guidelines, which uses the following stroke care assessments:
- Compliance with consensus-based national standards,
- Effective use of primary stroke center recommendation and clinical practice guidelines to manage and optimize care, and
- Performance measurement and improvement activities. Primary Stroke Centers who successfully demonstrate compliance in all three areas are awarded certification for a one-year period.
"The Primary Stroke Center designation is based on the health care industry Brain Attack Coalition's desire to strengthen the last link in the stroke chain of survival - rapid diagnosis and treatment at the hospital," says Jennifer Koopmann, health initiatives specialist, American Stroke Association. "Maintaining the guidelines is an ongoing improvement process for the hospital."
The Genesis Stroke Center consists of four beds and employs neuroscience nurses and staff who specialize in stroke care. "The presence of a dedicated stroke unit is unique to Genesis," said Ted Rogalski, Director of Neuroscience Services. "This singular focus will allow us to improve patient outcomes and decrease the amount of time patients spend in the hospital." A Certified Neuroscience Clinical Nurse Specialist will also be part of the team managed by Becky Sohm, RN.
The stroke unit will complement the existing Neurosciences Unit, the area's only nursing unit dedicated to neurological care and neurosurgical recovery. Both units are located on the Genesis Medical Center West campus in Davenport. The stroke unit will allow patients to experience a seamless transition through the continuum of care, from entry through the Emergency Department to rehabilitation care and recovery. Other stroke care services offered by the medical center include inpatient physical rehabilitation, and the Stroke Prevention & Recovery Center, Bettendorf, which focuses on preventing the recurrence of stroke through clinics and outpatient rehabilitation programs. Genesis Medical Center also has the latest available drug treatment for stroke: TPA, or Tissue Plasminogen Activase, a clot-busting drug that may minimize disability when administered within three hours of the onset of a stroke.
Stroke is a type of cardiovascular disease that affects the arteries leading to and within the brain. It is the third largest cause of death, and a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States. According to the American Stroke Association, public awareness of the risks and warning signs for stroke is alarmingly low. Over 75 percent of Americans cannot name the most common warning sign - sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body. Tragically, the elderly, who are at greatest risk for stroke, are the least likely to know the warning signs. Other high-risk groups include African Americans and women. Other warning signs include:
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
- Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
In addition, studies also show stroke sufferers are not getting to the hospital in time for appropriate treatment because they don't know stroke is a medical emergency. Most patients wait 22 hours, on average, to get medical help.
Genesis Medical Center neurosciences program offers diagnosis and treatment for stroke, dementia, sleep disorders, pain and headache. Health professionals offer free Stroke Savvy education programs to community groups. For further information, call 1-800-383-2575.
The American Stroke Association is a division of the American Heart Association. Through its Operation Stroke community-based program, the association is committed to saving lives by improving early recognition of stroke warning signs and reducing time to treatment. For further information, visit their Web site at www.strokeassociation.org.
