Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare-St. Francis Receives Stroke Certification
Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare – February 8, 2010 - St. Francis has received full certification as an Advanced Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission. The endeavor has taken several years of preparation and coordination, including ongoing data collection, resource allocation, process improvement and staff education to prepare the hospital to meet identified national standards. These standards have been grounded by evidence-based practice and have demonstrated improved outcomes for the stroke population. Primary Stroke Center certification positions the hospital at a higher level of clinical excellence within the EMS community as well as the community of patients in which we serve.
The certification is based on the recommendations for the establishment of stroke centers published by the Brain Attack Coalition and the American Stroke Association’s statements/guidelines for stroke care.
The benefits of Primary Stroke Centers include:
- More efficient and coordinated multidisciplinary care, beginning in the emergency department through discharge and beyond.
- Improved patient safety and fewer post-stroke complications.
- Increased use of stroke treatments and evidence based therapies.
This designation signifies to the surrounding community that we are dedicated to providing access to comprehensive, state-of-the-art stroke care across the continuum and committed to improving outcomes for this complex patient population.
Know the Signs and Symptoms of a stroke
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden, severe headache with no known cause