Ingalls’ Stroke Care Program Awarded Certification from the Joint Commission

(March, 2008) Ingalls Memorial Hospital’s stroke care program has earned the Gold Seal of Approval™ from The Joint Commission for Primary Stroke Centers. Ingalls earned this distinction after the Joint Commission conducted an unannounced on-site review in November. The only hospital in the area to achieve this certification, Ingalls received official notification in February.

“Ingalls demonstrated that its stroke care program follows national standards and guidelines that can significantly improve outcomes for stroke patients,” says Jean E. Range, M.S., R.N., C.P.H.Q., executive director, Disease-Specific Care Certification, Joint Commission.

Each year about 700,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke, which is the nation’s third leading cause of death. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 45 seconds and someone dies of a stroke every 3.1 minutes. Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States, with about 4.7 million stroke survivors alive today.

“We’re proud to achieve the distinction,” says Kurt Johnson, Ingalls president and chief executive officer. “Joint Commission Primary Stroke Center Certification recognizes Ingalls’ commitment to providing outstanding care to our patients and our community.”

The Joint Commission’s Primary Stroke Center Certification is based on the recommendations for primary stroke centers published by the Brain Attack Coalition and the American Stroke Association’s statements/guidelines for stroke care. The Joint Commission launched the program – the nation’s first – in 2003. A list of programs certified by the Joint Commission is available at www.jointcommission.org.

Ingalls Stroke Center of Excellence:
To increase awareness of stroke symptoms and prevention – and to diagnose and treat stroke patients as quickly as possible – Ingalls developed a Stroke Center of Excellence in 2005. The center, which integrates the services of the Emergency Department, Nursing, Radiology, Laboratory, Pharmacy, Emergency Medical Services and Rehabilitation, involves a multi-disciplinary approach to stroke management covering everything from stroke prevention and diagnosis to acute care and rehabilitation.

In addition, Ingalls implemented a stroke protocol to ensure that stroke patients are diagnosed and treated as quickly as possible.

“Ingalls has a dedicated stroke team that developed the stroke care protocol and provides ongoing evaluations of its effectiveness,” explains Engin Yilmaz, M.D., a fellowship-trained stroke specialist/neurologist and medical director of Ingalls’ stroke program.

“Our whole organization is circling around stroke,” Johnson added. “We treat strokes at Ingalls the same way that we treat heart attacks; every minute that we save preserves brain life.”

Prompt Stroke Diagnosis Begins in the Field:
When emergency medical technicians in the South Suburbs respond to the call of a suspected stroke patient, they perform a quick, accurate assessment developed by the American Stroke Association to determine if the individual is indeed having a stroke.

If they determine that a stroke is in progress, the EMTs contact the Ingalls Emergency Department, which activates the stroke protocol, including the immediate availability of a CT (computerized tomography) scan within minutes of arrival at the hospital, and the immediate evaluation of appropriate clot-busting drugs.

In addition to emergent and acute inpatient care for stroke patients, Ingalls offers a full continuum of stroke treatment, rehabilitation and support, including inpatient and outpatient programs.

The Ingalls Center for Rehabilitative Medicine is a licensed, 53-bed inpatient unit focused on acute rehabilitation, offering 24-hour nursing care by specially trained rehabilitation nurses and the services of two full-time physiatrists (physicians who specialize in physical medicine and rehabilitation).

The unit also offers on-site physical, occupational and recreational therapy, as well as speech therapy or neuropsychology at the rehabilitation physician’s order. Ongoing education for patients and families, and stroke support groups are also available to all stroke patients through Ingalls.

In 2006, Ingalls rehab unit became the first in the State of Illinois to receive a three-year stroke specialty accreditation by the prestigious Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).

“Because of the comprehensive nature of our stroke care program, many of our patients are referred to us from other local hospitals,” Johnson said.

Ingalls also offers outpatient rehabilitative services through the Ingalls Center for Outpatient Rehabilitation (ICOR) in Calumet City – and at Ingalls Family Care Centers in Flossmoor and Tinley Park.

For more information about Ingalls’ accredited Stroke Center of Excellence, please call Ingalls Care Connection at 1.800.221.2199.

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