American Stroke Association Recognizes Roper St. Francis

Roper St. Francis Healthcare (RSFH) has received recognition as a Get With The Guidelines (GWTG) hospital from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association.

Roper Hospital is the second hospital in the state to achieve the recognition and the only one in the Lowcountry. To achieve the milestone, a hospital must set up a format to follow the most up-to-date guidelines set forth by the American Heart and American Stroke Associations as well as begin tracking data from stroke patients.

"South Carolina leads the nation in death from stroke. Participating in the Get With the Guidelines program means people in the Lowcountry have access to a healthcare facility that offers the highest level of quality care along with community awareness and education about the signs, symptoms and treatment," said Neurologist James Bumgartner, MD, who serves as Medical Director of the Stroke Program.

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen to the brain bursts or is blocked by a clot. Timing is key when a person suffers a stroke. For a patient who is eligible to receive clot-busting agents to reverse the signs and symptoms, he or she only has three hours from the onset of a stroke. Get With The Guidelines is a quality improvement program that teaches lifesaving therapies and includes tools that reinforce treatment options.

Another portion of the program promotes community education. Roper St. Francis routinely offers stroke screenings and recently rolled out the FAST program to better educate health care providers and the public about stroke.

          FAST is an acronym for all symptoms of stroke and the need to act quickly:

• Facial droop
• Arm lift
• Slurred speech
• Time to call 911

"The tri-county area has the highest number of strokes in people under the age of 40 in the state of South Carolina. Furthermore, this state has a higher death rate than any other state in the country from strokes. We hope to reduce the numbers through community education and outreach," said Cathy Therrell, RN, MSN, Service Line Director for Physical Rehabilitation Services.