News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Cookeville Regional Medical Center receives national recognition for stroke care.
Joint Commission Certification Coordinator Susan Ashburn said with evidence based training and guidelines, CRMC has attained American Heart Association Stroke Silver Plus status.
Ashburn said CRMC sees some 700 potential stroke victims annually. Ashburn said of those patients some 500 receive a confirmed stroke diagnosis. She said CRMC has been able improve outcomes for patients who seek prompt medical attention.
“If a stroke is called in by EMS, the stroke team prepares,” Ashburn said. “We surround that patient when they get here. And start working in unison to make sure we make a prompt diagnosis and get the treatment underway. And make sure the patient gets everything they need in a timely fashion.”
Ashburn said the training, coordination and education required to meet the American Heart Association guidelines was extensive and required approximately two years for the initial qualification in 2019. She said the coordination of efforts among staff and providers continues to ensure everyone is trained an aligned with the guidelines.
Ashburn said the hospital has provided a great deal of community education so that patients receive treatment earlier. She said when patients come in sooner, they may be eligible for treatments that they would not qualify for if they hold off on medical attention.
“Patients who receive treatment have minimized morbidity and mortality,” Ashburn said.
Ashburn said the hospital additionally achieved Target Stroke on a Roll, along with Target Type II Diabetes on a Roll which are awarded for strict adherence to guidelines for stroke care.
“Again just making sure we’re consistently following those research based protocols and guidelines, that’s how we achieved those awards,” Ashburn said.
Ashburn said that while the hospital and stroke team do all they can, the patient also has a role to play in their best outcome.
“I’d like to make sure the community knows there are two types of stroke,” Ashburn said. “You can either have a clot in your brain or you can have a bleeding stroke. Each requires different treatments and those treatments are time sensitive. We want to make sure that patients come as quickly as they can to the hospital.”
