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October 8, 2008
Regions Hospital receives national stroke association award
St. Paul, Minn. - Regions Hospital has been awarded a Silver Performance Achievement Award from the American Stroke Association and the American Heart Association. The award recognizes the success of Regions in ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment according to nationally accepted standards and recommendations.
"With this achievement, patients can be ensured that Regions follows strict guidelines, benchmarks performance against national standards and provides timely and effective acute stroke care," said Dr. Bret Haake, head of neurology for Regions and HealthPartners Medical Group. "Only a handful of hospitals in Minnesota and across the nation have achieved this level of performance."
Key to Regions' program is a system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department, Haake said. This includes being equipped to provide brain imaging scans, having immediate access to hospitalists and neurologists, and using clot-busting medications when appropriate.
Regions earned the award by meeting seven performance measures to improve acute stroke treatment and prevent secondary events. A key part of Regions' program is rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department. This includes providing brain imaging scans, having neurologists available 24/7 and aggressive use of clot-busting medications.
Each year approximately 700,000 people suffer a stroke - 500,000 are first attacks and 200,000 are recurrent, according to the American Stroke Association. Of stroke survivors, 21 percent of men and 24 percent of women die within a year, and for those aged 65 and older, the percentage is even higher.
Regions Hospital has been ranked #1 in St. Paul for treatment of stroke for three years in a row. The hospital is also certified by the Joint Commission as a primary stroke center. The Stroke Center at Regions Hospital is part of the HealthPartners Medical Group neuroscience program, which includes physical medicine and rehabilitation, neurosurgery, neurology, and spine care.
Regions Hospital is a Level 1 Trauma Center and teaching hospital serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin for more than 130 years. Regions is a premier, full-service, private hospital providing outstanding medical and surgical care with special programs in heart, women's care, cancer, orthopedics, neurology, burn and emergency care. Regions is part of the HealthPartners family of health care organizations. More information about the hospital is available at www.regionshospital.com.
Contact: Vince Rivard
651-254-4730 or 651-629-0411 pager
Email: vince.j.rivard@healthpartners.com
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