SE Illinois News

Hamilton Memorial Hospital District has been recognized for its efforts to improve stroke care in rural communities. The hospital received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines - Stroke Rural Recognition Silver Award, which highlights hospitals that work to address health disparities in rural areas.

According to the American Heart Association, people living in rural communities have a shorter average lifespan than those in urban areas and face higher risks of heart disease and stroke mortality. Hamilton Memorial Hospital District has focused on closing this gap by optimizing stroke care.

“We are proud that our team at Hamilton Memorial Hospital is being recognized for the important work we do every day to improve the lives of people in Hamilton County and the surrounding areas who are affected by stroke, giving them the best possible chance of recovery and survival,” said Interim CEO Justin Epperson. “As a hospital in a rural community, we deal with characteristics, such as extended interfacility transportation times, and limited staffing resources. We’ve made it a goal to make sure those hurdles do not affect the standard of care our stoke patients receive. Rural communities deserve high quality stroke care. I’m proud of our team and their commitment to stroke care excellence and this achievement.”

The award acknowledges hospitals that demonstrate compliance with guideline-directed acute stroke care metrics such as intravenous thrombolytic therapy, timely patient transfer between facilities, dysphagia screening, assessment documentation, communication with emergency medical services, brain imaging, and consultation with stroke experts.

“Patients and health care professionals in Hamilton County face unique health care challenges and opportunities,” said Karen E Joynt Maddox, M.D., MPH, co-author on the American Heart Association’s presidential advisory on rural health. “Hamilton Memorial Hospital District has furthered this important work to improve care for all Americans, regardless of where they live.”

For more information about this award or other American Heart Association Quality Initiatives, visit https://www.heart.org/quality.