MDH Continues Recognition as an Acute Stroke Ready Hospital

MACOMB, Ill. – Once again meeting and surpassing the quality outcomes to provide emergent stroke care, McDonough District Hospital continues to be recognized as an Acute Stroke Ready Hospital within the State of Illinois.

Based off the quality data submitted to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), McDonough District Hospital proudly announces its 25th year as part of the larger OSF Stroke Network.

The IDPH identifies hospitals capable of providing emergent stroke care and directing EMS providers to transport possible acute stroke patients to these hospitals.

MDH’s designation was based on quality outcome metrics, ranging from: results time for door-to-blood coagulation study; completed time for door-to-brain imaging; results time for door-to-brain imaging; time for door-to-thrombolytic therapy, if applicable; time for door-to-transfer from emergency department, if applicable; and non-emergency department patients transferred out of the hospital for stroke diagnosis.

“A stroke ready hospital in the state of Illinois is a designation requiring six (6) quality outcomes to be collected, evaluated, and met or exceeded throughout the year. Those outcomes are submitted to the state for review. Any outcome that doesn’t meet national standards, or changes our department may have implemented to remediate the Quality Assessment shortcoming, is required to be submitted for review as well,” said Director of Emergency Services Stefany Kendrick, RN, BSN. “MDH Emergency Room stroke outcomes have become ingrained in our everyday patient care. With early notification from EMS, “STAT” head CT orders are obtained upon arrival to help rule out chief complaints of a stroke or possible stroke. The communication between entities and departments is always patient-centered, giving the patient the best chance for the best outcome possible.”

According to Vice President of Nursing Wanda Foster, RN, MSN, FACHE, this designation honors MDH’s team approach.

“MDH continues to have a strong multidisciplinary team approach which closely involves EMS, Emergency Room staff and Radiology. We focus on sequential process work flow to continually improve the time from ER arrival to seeing the doctor, the patient reaching imaging, images interpretation and the subsequent time to start the clot dissolving drug (tPA) should this be indicated,” said Foster. “In the event of a stroke determination, this sequence of events, culminating with the administration of tPA, will expedite the restoration of blood flow to the brain. Each of these key metrics greatly impact our ability to react quickly to a possible stroke patient, thus maintaining our recognition as an Acute Stroke Ready Hospital. It is vitally important to call 911 at the first sign of a stroke.”

The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association suggest using the letters in FAST to spot stroke signs and knowing when to call 9-1-1.

- Face drooping: Does one side of the face droop or is it numb.

- Arm weakness: Is one arm weak or numb, ask the person to raise both arms.

- Speech difficulty: Is speech slurred, are they unable to speak or hard to understand.

- Time to call 9-1-1: If someone shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and say, “I think this is a stroke” to help get the person to the hospital immediately.