St. Luke Community Healthcare receives Stroke Recognition Award

St. Luke Community Hospital was recognized with the Stroke Recognition Award at the Montana Hospital Association’s annual meeting last month. The award, sponsored by the Cardiovascular Health Program within the state health department, singles out Critical Access Hospitals that demonstrate that they have the infrastructure and commitment to provide high quality care for patients with acute stroke.

St. Luke Emergency Department manager Stephanie Reffner was appreciative of the award and expressed gratitude for all the staff who helped to earn it.

“This is a team effort,” Reffner said. “From the nurses to radiology, it takes a team of people to make these positive outcomes happen.”

St. Luke is one of only 19 Critical Access Hospitals in Montana to receive the recognition since the award was launched in 2011. Requirements include tracking and reporting key stroke outcomes, using outcomes data to initiate quality improvement activities and coordinating regular healthcare provider stroke trainings.

Receiving the award confirms St. Luke meets high standards related to the utilization of evidence-based stroke order-sets and protocols, has laboratory and radiology services available around the clock, and exhibits administrative commitment to treating acute stroke patients.

Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability and is a leading cause of death in Montana, impacting more than 2,000 Montana families last year. Symptom recognition and timely, high quality treatment are important factors in reducing death and disability from stroke.

Know the signs and symptoms of stroke:

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face arm or leg
• Sudden trouble seeing
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
• Sudden loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause

If you or someone you know experiences stroke symptoms call 9-1-1 immediately. For more information about stroke, visit: www.strokeassociation.org.