The Urbana hospital was certified as an Acute Stroke Ready Stroke Center, meaning it can provide rapid evaluation, stabilization and emergency treatment for stroke patients, according to the release. Hospitals with this certifications have essential imaging, laboratory services, tele-stroke partnerships and trained emergency personnel who can administer clot-busting medications often within minutes of a patient’s arrival.
“These certifications reinforce our ongoing commitment to provide the highest level of stroke care to our patients,” said Chase Collins, Mercy Health’s director of neurosciences. “Expanding our capabilities means patients are diagnosed faster, treated sooner and given the best possible chance for recovery without having to leave the communities they trust us to serve.”
The certifications mean the hospitals meet the “rigorous standards” of the Join Commission and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, according to the release.
“They also demonstrate the health system’s determination to expand access to high-quality stroke care close to home where every minute truly matters,” the release stated.
Strokes are a leading cause of death and long-term disability across the country, and quick treatment significantly reduces the risk of severe impairment. Most strokes are preventable, and according to Mercy Health, its advanced capabilities in Clark and Champaign counties should give residents “greater peace of mind knowing advanced, around-the -clock care is available within their own communities.”
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