St. Mary’s Receives More National Recognition for Advanced Stroke Care

St. Mary's Medical Center recently became the only hospital in West Virginia to receive the American Stroke Association's "Get With the Guidelines Gold Performance Achievement Award." It is the latest in a series of national awards recognizing St. Mary's commitment to advanced stroke care and the type of physician involvement needed for this type of accomplishment.
   
The award doesn't come as a surprise to Carl McComas, MD, medical director of the St. Mary's Regional Stroke Network. "St. Mary's made a strong commitment more than a decade ago to put the organization in place to provide advanced stroke care for patients," said Dr. McComas. "I've worked in many different hospitals during my career as a neurologist, and I find the type of support I receive here at St. Mary's as a physician is among the best."

A VISION FOR ADVANCED STROKE CARE

Christy Franklin, RN, MS, CNRN is the director of St. Mary's Regional Neuroscience Center.  Franklin says her team started out with a bold vision for the St. Mary's Regional Stroke Center in 1999.  "The St. Mary's administration immediately embraced our ideas for what could happen here to help patients who suffered a stroke," Franklin said.

"Because St. Mary's made stroke care an area of emphasis at the medical center, we've reached the highest levels of recognition from both the American Stroke Association and the Joint Commission.  I'm so proud of all our staff members and what they have accomplished."

IMMEDIATE SUCCESSES

One of the first patients who benefited from the advanced stroke care procedures put in place by St. Mary's was Rachel Adkins Woods.  Rachel suffered a stroke during a soccer game in 1999 and EMS crews took her immediately to St. Mary's. The care Rachel received saved her life, and she was so impressed by what she experienced she decided to become a nurse.  Rachel is now an RN at St. Mary's, determined to give patients the same great care she received as a patient herself at St. Mary's.

A STROKE HUB GETS "THE ROBOT"
    
St. Mary's has served as a stroke hub for the past several years in West Virginia, accepting stroke patients from many of the rural hospitals in the region.  The medical center recently expanded that service by providing remote presence neurology consults through telemedicine robots. This service is available to hospital emergency departments across West Virginia and the Tri-State that includes Ohio and Kentucky.  The robots provide advanced telemedicine, allowing neurologists to log on with a laptop computer and joystick to remotely assess patients.  Both the laptop and robot have cameras that allow for physician/patient interaction similar to what happens at the bedside when the physician is actually there.
   
"We've had a great response from our partner hospitals who've put a robot in their emergency rooms," said Franklin.  "This type of telemedicine places two doctors at a patient's bedside, with the neurologist and the emergency room doctor teaming up to provide an assessment of the possible stroke victim."  Rural hospitals benefit from the robot by keeping more patients in their facility.  Previously, many patients were transferred to larger hospitals as a precaution and the remote presence robot allows for the most accurate assessment possible before a patient transfer is made. "The final decision for transfer always stays with the emergency room physician at the rural hospital," Dr. McComas said.  "The robot is simply a tool that improves stroke assessment and it's rewarding to be part of a team that's enhancing care beyond the walls of St. Mary's."

NATIONAL RECOGNITION
    
St. Mary's began receiving national recognition for it's stroke care efforts in 2004, when it became the first stroke center in West Virginia to achieve the Primary Stroke Center Certification by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
   
St. Mary's has kept that Gold level status and the accreditation remains current.
    
The American Stroke Association awarded its highest level of recognition to St. Mary's this year with the Gold Performance Achievement Award.  The award recognizes the medical center's commitment and success in "implementing a higher standard of care by ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment for at least 24 months according to nationally accepted standards."
   
"The American Stroke Association commends St. Mary's Medical Center for it's success in implementing these standards of care," said Lee H. Schwamm, MD, national "Get With the Guidelines" steering committee member and director of acute stroke services at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.  "The full implementation of acute care and secondary prevention recommendations and guidelines is a critical step in saving the lives and improving outcomes of stroke patients."

A MODEL FOR OTHERS

In addition to the robot, many local hospitals have also modeled their "stroke alert" programs after the system in place at St. Mary's.  It begins with the EMS crews alerting the emergency room that a stroke patient is on the way and the estimated time of arrival.  "Almost everyone who observes the team moving into place before the patient even arrives is impressed by what they see," said Jenny Edwards, RN, MSN, CNRN, nurse specialist for the stroke center. "Our four neurologists make sure there is never a gap in having their expertise available for the stroke assessment.

Our five interventional radiologists played a key role in helping stroke patients. We are so thankful for the role all of our doctors play in providing advanced stroke care at the highest levels."

SAVING LIVES ON A DAILY BASIS

 Edsel Harless of Wayne County recently received life-saving treatment through St. Mary's stroke program.  Harless suffered a stroke and his family immediately took him to St. Mary's.  Harless couldn't move the left side of his body and his neurologist, Ijaz Ahmad, MD, recommended Harless for treatment in the St. Mary's interventional lab.  Lee Haikal, MD, an interventional radiologist, performed a catheter directed thrombolysis, a delicate procedure to dissolve the blockage causing the stroke. The day after the procedure, Harless was out of bed and able to walk.  The paralysis on the left side of his body was virtually resolved.  "It's very satisfying to know you're able to help people in this way," Dr. Haikal said.  "Mr. Harless would likely have been confined to a bed for the rest of his life if he had not received this treatment. To see him now is very rewarding as a physician. We were able to turn a very large stroke into a very small stroke."   Edsel's wife Mary thanked the doctors and the rest of the stroke team several times during her husband's stay at St. Mary's.  "I think it's wonderful what they did for Edsel," Mary Harless said.

EDUCATION, CARE AND TREATMENT

 The Harless family's move to get Edsel to St. Mary's quickly shows more people are learning what they need to do when a family member suffers a stroke.
      
"Another important feature of our stroke program is education, both for the public and health care providers," states Edwards.  Thanks to efforts by many people and organizations to educate the public, most people are now aware of the usual signs of stroke such as sudden weakness and numbness of the face, arm or leg on one side of the body and trouble speaking.  Less well known, however are unique symptoms that have been reported by women.  According to the National Stroke Association, up to 62% of women have described symptoms of face and limb pain, hiccups, nausea, general weakness, chest pain, shortness of breath and palpations during a stroke.
 
While less than half of strokes occur in women, more women than men will die of stroke each year.  Many women believe they are at higher risk for cancer, however twice as many women die of stroke than breast cancer every year.  That's a statistic St. Mary's is trying to change through education, treatment and care.  It's all part of St. Mary's nationally recognized program.

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And the Award Goes to OLBH

From Hollywood to New York, awards season is the time of year the red carpets unfurl for everything from the Grammys and the Oscars to the Golden Globes and People's Choice Awards. However, while Brad Pitt or Coldplay have yet to make appearances at Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital (OLBH), the hospital recently completed a successful awards season all its own.

Outstanding Patient Experience Award™
OLBH is among the nation's top 15 percent in patient experience, according to HealthGrades, the nation's leading independent healthcare ratings organization. As a result, OLBH is a recipient of the 2009 HealthGrades' Outstanding Patient Experience Award™.
 
To determine the recipients of the Outstanding Patient Experience Award, HealthGrades analyzed Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey results for 2,592 hospitals nationwide. OLBH is one of only 271 to receive the award, the first HealthGrades distinction based on patients' perception of hospital care. OLBH is one of only eight hospitals in Kentucky to be ranked in the top 15 percent nationally for outstanding patient experience.
 
The award is based on patient survey data collected as part of the federal government's HCAHPS initiative, which gathers patient responses to 27 survey questions related to physician and nurse communication, speed of responsiveness, hospital cleanliness and noise levels, medication information and post-discharge care instructions. The survey results are provided by hospitals as part of a new federal initiative to increase public reporting of hospital performance.
 
"The mission of Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital is to serve patients," Kevin Halter, OLBH CEO, said. "That our patients report that they're being served well is a testament to the hard work of many OLBH staff and physicians. I can't think of a better honor than one received as a result of patients being satisfied with their OLBH experience."
"HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ reflects Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital's strong commitment to providing its patients' with a superior level of service, something the entire organization can take pride in," Sarah Loughran, HealthGrades executive vice president, said. "This truly is a distinction generated by patients for patients."

5-Star Honors for Clinical Services
Another award bestowed recently to OLBH is the 2009 HealthGrades Pulmonary Care Excellence AwardTM, which the hospital received in addition to five-star ratings for multiple clinical care categories, including treatment of heart attack.

OLBH is a recipient of the HealthGrades Pulmonary Care Excellence Award for the fifth straight year by receiving the highest-possible HealthGrades rating for treatment of pneumonia. OLBH is ranked best in the Huntington/Ashland area for pulmonary care and has ranked among the top ten percent of hospitals nationwide in pulmonary care for six consecutive years. OLBH has received five-star distinction for treatment of pneumonia for seven straight years.

OLBH received a five-star rating for treatment of heart attack for the third straight year. Additionally, the hospital received these top quality ratings for treatment of respiratory failure and sepsis, a critical bloodstream infection. Five-star distinction also was granted OLBH in gastrointestinal surgery and procedures. OLBH is ranked in the top five in the state of Kentucky for both gastrointestinal surgery and services.

"What makes this such a significant honor for OLBH is that HealthGrades rates the quality of 27 procedures and treatments at nearly 5,000 hospitals across the country," Halter said. "For us to have rated at five-stars in so many different areas puts our hospital among the best of the best around the nation."
 
Based on the study, HealthGrades has made available its 2009 quality ratings for virtually every hospital in the country at www.healthgrades.com, a Web site designed to help individuals research and compare local healthcare providers. "It is imperative that anyone seeking medical care at a hospital do their homework and know the hospital's quality rating before they check in," Samantha Collier, M.D., HealthGrades' chief medical officer and a study author, said.

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Cornerstone hospital specializes in long-term care
 
Cornerstone Hospital of Huntington is a 28 bed long-term acute care hospital.We're unique in the area. In fact, there are only two long-term acute care hospitals in the state. Cornerstone Hospital is not a nursing home or a rehab hospital. We are what is known as a "hospital in a hospital" because we lease space at St.Mary's Medical Center. But Cornerstone is its own company, and offers its own specialized programs. We have patients from Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia and beyond. Most of them are referred to us from short-term acute care hospitals across the tri-state area. Cornerstone Hospital bridges the gap between a short-term acute care hospital and a patient's return to home, are habilitation facility, or a skilled nursing facility. Cornerstone admits patients who have multiple complications or issues that need to be addressed in a longer hospital stay before they can move to a lower level of care. Cornerstone offers specialized services for patients requiring pulmonary and/or tracheostomy care, ventilator weaning, infectious disease treatment, medically complex care and wound management. In addition to our treatment programs, Cornerstone also provides medical rehab, which serves patients who aren't yet ready for an intensive therapy program at a hospital. Long-term acute care is a relatively new concept in the area. We are committed to educating people about our unique programs and the types of patients who are appropriate for this level of care.

Did you know?...

More than 5 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer's Disease. While symptoms can vary greatly, a telltale sign of Alzheimer's is memory loss that begins to adversely affect work, social life, and other lifelong activities and hobbies. First described over a century ago by German physician Alois Alzheimer, Alzheimer's Disease is a brain disorder that has no cure. Alzheimer's typically gets worse over time, as what's first characterized as forgetfulness or minor memory loss can and usually does turn into feelings of confusion, trouble expressing oneself or organizing thoughts in a coherent manner, and changes in personality or behavior. While not everyone will experience the same symptoms, many of these symptoms tend to develop as the disease progresses. This results from the interconnected nature of the nerve cells in the brain. Because these nerve cells need to communicate with one another for the brain to work effectively, when one group of nerve cells begins to deteriorate it has an adverse effect on other groups of nerve cells, eventually resulting in the negative performance of those groups of nerve cells as well. This spiraling effect causes the brain to deteriorate over time as Alzheimer's continues to advance to more serious and negative stages.

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Children's behavior linked to diet
Each year millions of children are diagnosed with an attention disorder, based upon the symptoms of excessive fidgeting, difficulty concentrating and impulsivity they exhibit. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, four percent of school-age children meet the criteria for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) each year. However, many of these children do not have any disorder at all and their diet can be the true reason behind the symptoms.
  
When a child is evaluated for attention and behavior problems, a key factor is often overlooked - diet. Many studies show that the foods a child consumes can directly correlate to his behavior and learning capabilities.
    
Parents may notice that their child behaves differently after eating brightly colored cereals, certain soft drinks or candy. This is not always associated with a "sugar high." Artificial food dyes and flavorings can cause similar reactions in children, and are often overlooked as culprits.

The nonprofit Feingold Association of the United States assists families of children with learning and behavior problems. Parent volunteers show families how to find the foods they can enjoy without all the unwanted additives.

Going Green Around the Kitchen
 
When it comes to going green, nearly all facets of life have some room for improvement. Because everything we do has an effect on the environment, the notion of going green is truly all-encompassing.
 
One place that's easy to go green is the kitchen. Though not intentional, many kitchens are monuments to waste. But with a few easy adjustments, the average kitchen can quickly become a testament to environmentally friendly living.

o  Banish excess paper products. Thanks to their convenience, paper plates, cups and towels populate kitchens across the country. Many more kitchens are home to other throwaway products as well, such as plastic utensils and napkins. While no one can question the convenience of such products, they are very harmful to the environment.
 
Instead of these throwaway products, purchase reusable products. Cloth napkins and towels, for instance, can do the same job as paper napkins and towels, but do it in a way that's not harmful to the environment. Rather than paper plates, purchase a less expensive yet reusable set of plates to use when snacking or eating less formal meals. This will save you the trouble of using the fine china every night, and it will also help save the environment. What's more, since these products are all reusable, you'll save money as well.
o Purchase fresh vegetables. Taste is the primary reason many veggie fans prefer fresh vegetables over their frozen counterparts. However, another distinct advantage fresh vegetables possess over frozen veggies is their friendly attitude toward the environment. Frozen vegetables typically come heavily and excessively packaged. This negative environmental impact can be eradicated by simply purchasing the fresh vegetables available in the produce aisle as opposed to those sharing space with the frozen pizzas and waffles a few aisles away.
 
Lettuce can also be wasteful depending on how it's purchased. Fresh heads of lettuce in the produce aisle are far more environmentally friendly than bagged lettuce mixes.

o  Be more conscious of snacking habits. When it comes to snacks, most people are solely concerned with health. However, the environment's health should be considered when snacking as well. Rather than filling the refrigerator with individually packaged yogurts, for example, those who eat yogurt on a regular basis should instead purchase yogurt in quantity, choosing the larger containers to create less waste. These larger containers are often less expensive than purchasing individually packed yogurts as well.
o Buy a water filter. Replacing plastic water bottles with a water filter is one of the easiest, most effective and money-saving ways to make a positive impact on the environment. Estimates have suggested that Americans alone are responsible for purchasing more than 7 billion gallons of bottled water each year. The waste produced by those purchases eventually exceeds 20 billion plastic water bottles. All of this excess waste can be removed if consumers simply purchase a water filter. The water is as clear as that in plastic bottles, and it's also much less expensive and far more environmentally friendly.
o Take up gardening. Gardening can be beneficial in a number of ways, be it helping to reduce stress or providing a great reason to go outdoors and soak up some sun. It can even help save the planet. Growing your own food helps reduce waste, as many gardeners won't grow more than they can eat, or they'll share it with neighbors. Also, gardening is a hobby that has a positive impact on the environment, and those quick drives to the grocery store won't be necessary if a fully producing garden awaits just outside your kitchen window.