SSM St. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles and SSM St. Joseph Hospital West in Lake Saint Louis have been recognized as Get With The Guidelines SM (GWTG SM) – Stroke centers by the American Stroke Association.   The hospitals are the first and only facilities in St. Charles County and two of only three hospitals in Missouri to receive this recognition.

GWTG SM is the premier hospital-based quality improvement program for the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association. The program enables hospitals to improve acute stroke treatment and prevent future strokes and cardiovascular events.   Participants focus on care team protocols to ensure that patients are treated and discharged on appropriate medications and with risk modification counseling.  

“Through this program, health care provider teams are empowered to consistently treat patients with the most updated treatment guidelines,” said Alan Umbright, MD, executive medical director of both emergency departments.   “It is an important step for us, and for the community, as our population continues to grow.”

As an example of the advanced treatment available in St. Charles County, St. Joseph Health Center recently became the first hospital in St. Charles County, and one of only a few hospitals in Missouri, to perform Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty (PTA) of the carotid artery with placement of an FDA-approved carotid stent.   The stent is a tubular metal mesh-like device that opens blockage in the carotid (neck) artery, which supplies blood to the brain. Patients with fatty deposits in their carotid arteries are at increased risk for stroke.

Each hospital has designated a Stroke Clinical Coordinator, who will follow every stroke patient admitted to the hospitals.   Their role is to ensure that patients are treated appropriately for a stroke diagnosis, and that their follow-up care and medication is such that their risk for another stroke is greatly reduced.   Sharon Pulver, RN, MSN, serves as the coordinator at St. Joseph Health Center; Karen Radel, RN, BSN, is at St. Joseph Hospital West.

GWTG SM – Stroke begins with an assessment of a hospital’s current acute treatment and discharge protocols for stroke patients.   The assessment provides a baseline against which hospitals compare future results and measure successes.   Ninety days after facilities are recognized as GWTG SM hospitals, they receive an initial performance award.   The awards are given annually for sustained performance.

“Our ultimate goal is to apply for, and receive, approval from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, or JCAHO, to become accredited in stroke care,” Dr. Umbright said.   “Just as we are a certified Level II Trauma Center at the Health Center, and a certified Level III Trauma Center at Hospital West, JCAHO accredits hospitals that meet certain criteria in the treatment and follow up of stroke patients.   Currently there are no JCAHO-accredited hospitals for stroke in the St. Louis Metropolitan area.”   Dr. Umbright said he expects the SSM St. Joseph hospitals to reach this goal sometime in 2006.

Stroke is the third-leading cause of death in the United States, according the American Stroke Association.   Warning signs include sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body; sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding; sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes; sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination; or sudden, severe headache with no known cause.

SSM St. Joseph Health Center , SSM St. Joseph Hospital West and SSM St. Joseph Medical Park are the largest providers of health care in the quad counties, offering two state-designated trauma centers between the Missouri River and Columbia , Mo. SSM St. Joseph is the winner of the First Annual MissouriPRO Quality Award. SSM St. Joseph Hospital West was twice named one of the Top100 Hospitals TM in the country, most recently in 2004, as designated by Solucient. SSM Health Care is a recipient of the Missouri Quality Award. SSM St. Joseph is a member of SSM Health Care, the first health care winner of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

For more information about SSM St. Joseph Health Center , SSM St. Joseph Hospital West and SSM St. Joseph Medical Park , visit www.ssmstjoseph.com.

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