The Arkansas Department of Health recently recognized Wadley Regional Medical Center with an award for stroke care.
The award is based on hospital performance according to data gathered by the Arkansas Stroke Registry between July 2017 to June 2018.
Wadley, which is now part of the Steward Health Care System LLC, was one of nine hospitals recognized and received a level three award for having at least 80 percent compliance with defect-free stroke care.
"This award looks at the percentage of patients who get all the correct treatments at the correct time according to current evidence in stroke care. There were no defects in over 80 percent of all the patients we entered into the database. We met every single measure of ensuring appropriate care at the right time," said Sher Fomby, cardiovascular program director at Wadley. "Providing timely and evidence-based care improves outcomes for stroke patients."
Wadley is eligible for this recognition because it partners with the Arkansas Stroke Registry.
"Even though we're in Texas, we look at all the measures and share data and see where the gaps in care are so we can improve outcomes throughout the state," Fomby said. "One thing that's notable, when I first started in my role as stroke program coordinator in 2009, in the U.S. stroke was the number three leading cause of death. Since then it's steadily gotten better and we've decreased it to fifth leading cause of death. It's through focusing care, following all the evidence-based measures and participating in registries. Things like that have improved outcomes. It's certainly a team effort from our physicians to our radiology staff, the nurses on floor in the ER, our lab. It's a true interdisciplinary team that makes all of this possible."
ADH officials were happy to recognize hospitals providing great stroke care.
"We are delighted to see the improvement in stroke care as demonstrated by these hospitals," Dr. Appathurai Balamurugan, state chronic disease director and medical director for the ADH chronic disease branch and tobacco prevention and cessation branch said in a press release on the ADH website. "Through our work with the communities, EMS, and hospitals we hope to improve the quality of stroke care among Arkansans with this devastating condition."