Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital Awarded For Efforts To Improve Rural Stroke Care
News Release
WARSAW — People who live in rural communities live an average of three years fewer than urban counterparts and have a 40 percent higher likelihood of developing heart disease and face a 30 percent increased risk for stroke mortality — a gap that has grown over the past two decades, according to information from the American Heart Association.
Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital is working to change that.
Dr. Kevin McGeehan
For efforts to optimize stroke care and eliminate rural health care outcome disparities, Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital has received the American Heart Association’s Get With the Guidelines — Stroke Rural Recognition Bronze award.
“We are proud that our team is being recognized for the important work we do every day to improve the lives of patients affected by stroke, giving them the best possible chance of recovery and survival,” said Lynn Mergen, chief executive officer of Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital. “Rural communities deserve high quality stroke care. I’m proud of our team for their commitment to stroke care excellence and this achievement.”
“Time is of the essence if you believe someone is having a stroke,” said board certified neurologist Dr. Kevin McGeehan, medical director of the Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital stroke program. “The treatments that are available are very time sensitive. Call 911 immediately and tell them you need to go to the emergency room because you think you are having a stroke.”
The award recognizes hospitals for their efforts toward acute stroke care excellence demonstrated by composite score compliance to guideline-directed care for intravenous thrombolytic therapy, timely hospital inter-facility transfer, dysphagia screening, symptom timeline and deficit assessment documentation, emergency medical services communication, brain imaging and stroke expert consultation.